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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23849893">Big Dai Energy</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/LessonsFromMoths/pseuds/LessonsFromMoths'>LessonsFromMoths</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adoption, Angst, Dad Daichi, Daichi is a newly-appointed father of 3, Daichi's friends are amazing, Detective, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Kid Ennoshita, Kid Shimizu, Kidfic, M/M, Police Officer Sawamura Daichi, Questionable Parenting Skills, Single Parent Daichi, Tragedy, Wedding Planning, but actually not daichi is a gr8 father, but daichi has HUGE dad energy, but mostly cute kids, huge dai energy, im here fo the cute kid content, its not even a good joke, kid kageyama, lmao i couldnt stop myself from making this fic name a joke, onto the real tags, seriously suga is not impressed, slow burn kinda?, sorry - Freeform, teacher suga</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 20:54:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>31,722</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23849893</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/LessonsFromMoths/pseuds/LessonsFromMoths</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Two years ago, Daichi's world turned upside down when his sister and her husband died, orphaning their kids. Daichi made the decision to raise all 3, hoping to make his sister proud. When he decides to move across town to be closer to his friends, and a new person is thrust into their life: Sugawara Koushi, kindergarten teacher extraordinaire. </p><p>Chaos, love, and family ensues.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Other Relationship Tags to Be Added, Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi, Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi, blink and you'll miss it bokuaka, blink and you'll miss it ukatake, mentioned Azumane Asahi/Nishinoya Yuu</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>350</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1197</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>HAIKYU GARBAGE DUMP, My favorite haikyuu fics</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Okay so like I read the cutst fucking Dad!Daichi fic but it truly did not have enough dad for me so I decided to start writing this.</p><p>Warning #1: this is super duper Westernized. Like, an insane amount. Like, it pretty much takes place in North America. Sorry 'bout that. But when I started researching things in Japan, the story timeline and logistics worked much better in a Western culture.</p><p>Fair warning #2, I do not have the best track record for finishing ongoing series, so we'll see how this goes. I've been making insane progress on it these past few days and am hoping to finish writing it by May, posting about every week. My current record for finishing ongoing works is 3:2, with 3 being finished and 2 being not finished. Yeah, do with that what you will.</p><p>Anyways, I'm literally a mess for Dad Daichi and wouldn't have it any other way. I hope you enjoy. I listened to a lot of oldies music while writing this, so if you want to know my writing playlist let me know and I'll start peppering it in with the chapters. </p><p>Not beta'd, please be kind!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Daichi checked his phone for what must have been the twelfth time in just as many minutes, hoping to see Kuroo’s name flash onto the screen. Still nothing. He forced his bouncing leg to be still after getting side-eyed by one of his coworkers. </p><p>“Sawamura, your kids started school today, yeah?” Ushijima drawled, leaning over his desk to get a good look at Daichi’s anxious expression.</p><p>“Kuroo dropped them off this morning. I hope,” he answered, glancing back at his silent phone.</p><p>“Ah, explains the look on your face, then,” Ushijima grinned, but Daichi couldn’t manage one back. His kids were going to a school on the opposite side of town than their last one, about a third of the way into the school year. If Kuroo didn’t get them to school on time…. Daichi groaned, rubbing his face with his hands.</p><p>“Patience,” Shirofuku said, her voice soothing, “I’m sure he’s busy talking with their teachers.”</p><p>That fact did nothing to soothe Daichi, and he groaned, spurring his coworkers to laugh. He would give anything to be there with his kids on their first day at the new school. He pictured Tobio’s little face, twisted in its usual concerned expression; Chikara’s laugh, as he patted his little brother’s shoulder in consolation; Kiyoko’s solemn features, wondering if she’s going to make any friends. It made his heart ache that he couldn’t be there to squeeze their hands and tell them that everything was going to be alright, but unfortunately he was needed at work. They were on the brink of breaking into a huge online child pornography ring, and Daichi was tasked with interviewing one of its key members. If this interrogation went well, they could have a chance at shutting it all down.</p><p>He had the most experience with these sorts of things, so he couldn’t just skip out on this important day. Unfortunately, that meant leaving his kids in the hands of his friend and their “Uncle” Kuroo. </p><p>“Yeah, have a little faith in ol’ Kuroo,” Ushijima said lightly. “That’s the whole reason you moved, isn’t it?” </p><p>Okay, Ushijima had a point. Daichi and his kids had moved to the other side of town so that they could be closer to their support group, AKA Daichi’s friends. His friends all worked in small businesses on that side of town, and it was more convenient for them all to just move closer so that they could help out with the kids more. The change had been spurred by Tobio’s emergency trip to the hospital a few months ago, when he had hurt himself at home after toppling from a countertop and hitting his head on the floor. That had probably been the worst day of Daichi’s life, getting the three kids into the car and to the hospital, which was just a bit too far away, without any help. </p><p>Yeah, being closer to his friends (and the hospital) was much more convenient. </p><p>“Detective Sawamura? He’s ready for you,” a voice came from the direction of the interrogation rooms, and Daichi sighed, grabbing the case file and setting his shoulders. He could do this.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It didn’t take much for Suga to notice the non-kindergarten sized person in his classroom. He walked up to the man, who had dark spiky hair and two kids attached to his legs. Suga’s attention was drawn to the kids, both with dark hair and serious eyes. “Sawamura-sun?” Suga asked, looking back up at their father.</p><p>“Ah, no. Sorry, Sensei. I’m Kuroo, a friend of Sawamura-san’s. He got held up at work and asked me to bring the kids in today.” That surprised Suga. He wondered why their mother hadn’t brought them, or what was so important that their own father couldn’t drop his own kids off on their first day of school. Kuroo must have seen something in his face, as he was quick to continue. “But he’ll be here to pick them up, and he’ll bring the list of approved adults with him,” Kuroo assured him. </p><p>Suga nodded, then put on a smile despite his annoyance, crouching down to the level of the Sawamura kids. “My name is Suga-sensei. What are your names?” He asked, watching as the smaller boy hid his face in his uncle’s pant leg while the other stuck his tiny hand out.</p><p>“I’m Chikara,” he said firmly, grinning when Suga took his hand and shook it. “That’s Tobio, my little brother,” he pointed. Suga watched as Tobio fluttered his hands at Chikara, who then curled his fingers back at him before placing a hand on Tobio’s shoulder. “He says he doesn’t want to go to school,” Chikara said. </p><p>“Well it’s very nice to meet you, Chikara and Tobio.” Suga was a bit surprised. He hadn’t been told that one of the children was Deaf, and he didn’t seem to have any sort of translator here with him.</p><p>“Tobio, use your words,” Kuroo murmured to him, once again picking up on Suga’s uneasiness. He was really going to have to work on his poker face.</p><p>The little boy looked up at his uncle, eyes wide. “I don’t want to go to school! I want Daddy! Where’s Daddy?”</p><p>Oh. So not Deaf. Maybe just a bit shy, and wishing his father was here. That was okay, Suga knew how to deal with shy students, though he again felt a small spark of anger at the tiny child’s father. He looked at Tobio kindly, who had a mistrustful look on his face. “Tobio-kun, your daddy will be here at the end of the day to take you home. But how about we play for a little while until he comes to get you? I think Shouyou could use somebody to help him build his lego house,” he gestured over to where the small orange-haired boy was glaring at a failed lego edifice, trying to fit together pieces that wouldn’t cooperate. </p><p>“You love legos!” Chikara said encouragingly, and Suga watched with interest as Tobio slowly let go of his pant leg lifeline, taking a few steps towards the orange-haired boy.</p><p>“I love legos,” he said, more to himself that anyone else. It wasn’t long before he was carefully sitting in the seat across from Shouyou, who looked ecstatic to have someone to help him build. The smaller boy immediately started talking, and from experience, Suga knew that he wouldn’t stop. </p><p>“Thank you, Chikara-kun,” Suga said, causing the boy to beam. “Tobio is lucky to have a brother like you. Would you like me to show you where you can put your backpack?” Suga asked. </p><p>Chikara nodded excitedly. “At my old school, we had cubbies!” </p><p>Suga chuckled. “We have those here, too. Just let me say goodbye to your uncle.” Suga turned to Kuroo. “Kuroo-san, their father can pick them up anytime between two and four o’ clock. School ends at two, but we have a program here that lets the kids play outside until four.” </p><p>“Perfect. Thank you, Suga-sensei,” Kuroo smiled. He took one look at the kids before quietly leaving the classroom. When Suga turned around he saw that Chikara had already put his backpack into an unused cubby and was playing with Ryuu Tanaka, asking him about the different types of cars Ryuu was playing with. When he spared a glance at Tobio, the boy was being dragged away from the legos and towards the playdoh table, looking shocked but tentatively excited at being included by his new friend. </p><p>Suga smiled. Looked like the new kids would be just fine.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Suga was sitting on a bench at the playground, waiting for the last three kids to be picked up. From what he understood, they all belonged to the new parent, Sawamura. The siblings played well together, taking turns on the slide and helping each other on the monkey bars, but Suga was filled with a quietly increasing rage when little Chikara came up to him. “Is Dad here yet?” He asked. </p><p>Suga shook his head. “No, not yet.” The little boy deflated momentarily, but then stood up tall again. </p><p>“That’s okay! He’ll be here soon,” he smiled, then ran off to play with his siblings again. Suga’s heart hurt. He wondered how many times Chikara had to be disappointed to be able to pick himself up again. No five-year-old should have to convince the teacher that their dad was going to show up. Suga was normally a very level-headed man, described by his friends as laid-back and had even earned the nickname “Mr. Pleasant” back in high school for his infuriatingly unflappable nature. But when it came to his kids, if someone -- especially their own parent -- did anything to hurt them, he would be at their throat in a heartbeat.</p><p>Suga fumed silently, wishing he had contact information for their father. Unfortunately, he was supposed to drop off all of the supplemental paperwork today when he picked up his kids, so he only had Kuroo’s cell number. At the moment, it was only 4:30, so it didn’t exactly warrant a call to the children’s uncle yet. </p><p>He heard the sound of a car pulling into the parking lot at the same time Tobio’s small voice yelled out, “Daddy!” and Suga turned to see a tall, dark-haired man slam the door of his car and sprint to the playground, dropping to his knees when he reached his kids and stretching his arms around all three of them, burying his head in Tobio’s neck. </p><p>“I’m so sorry I’m late,” he said to his kids, and Suga stood and walked over to the family, letting them have their small reunion. “How was school?” When he pulled away to look at them, Suga was shocked to see unshed tears in the man’s eyes, and his daughter reached her hand up to poke his cheek.</p><p>“Why are you sad, Dai?” She asked.</p><p>Sawamura-san barked out a laugh and rubbed his eyes with his shirt, smiling widely at his children. “I’m not sad. Not anymore. I’m so, so happy to see you all.” He seemed to realize that Suga was standing near them, waiting, and he slowly stood, grabbing a folder that had been dropped when he hugged the kids. “I have to talk to your teacher now, okay? I think he’s waited long enough. Go play, I’ll be right there.” The kids ran off again, teasing and pushing each other, and Sawamura-san made a half-hearted attempt to brush the rubber pieces from his pant legs before extending his hand to Suga. “I’m terribly sorry I’m late,” is all he said, and from the manic look in his eyes to the painful twist of his mouth, Suga knew that he meant it. </p><p>“I’m Sugawara, Chikara and Tobio’s teacher,” he said, shaking the man’s hand. It was cool and strong, which irked him for some reason. Just because he meant the apology didn’t mean that Suga was going to let him off easy. “Will you always be this late, Sawamura-san?” </p><p>“Oh god, no,” Sawamura said, looking horrified. He bowed his head a few times. “I’m so sorry. I...I got held up at work, and I couldn’t leave, and…” he trailed off, glancing at his kids and looking like he was about to cry again. “Did they think I wasn’t going to come?” He asked, voice unbelievably soft. </p><p>“Chikara told me that you would be here soon,” Suga said, resolve softening. He noticed the badge clipped to Sawamura’s button-up shirt. Detective Sawamura. “But I wouldn’t make it a habit to show up late.”</p><p>“No!” Sawamura looked bewildered. “No, of course not.” He jolted as if startled, then opened the folder and removed the papers inside of it. “I have my list of approved drop-off and pick-up adults, as well as their emergency contact and medical info,” he said. “How did they do today?” He looked worried.</p><p>“I heard from Takeda-sensei that your daughter was getting along nicely in his classroom, and I think Chikara and Tobio are wonderful additions to my little class,” Suga said, professional and maybe a little cold.</p><p>The detective deflated. “Good. Thank you,” he said, looking at the teacher gratefully and bowing his head again. </p><p>“I see that you have five names and numbers listed here?” Suga looked at the approved persons list, raising an eyebrow at Sawamura. </p><p>His face turned pink. “Ah, yeah. My friends help me with shuttling the kids around, especially if I have to work.”</p><p>“No family?” Suga realized it was a bit personal, but every piece of information he could squeeze from Sawamura helped him understand his students better. </p><p>Sawamura’s face did something odd before becoming neutral. “No, just those five,” he said. </p><p>Suga got the hint. “I noticed today that Chikara wears hearing aids?” He prompted.</p><p>Sawamura relaxed at the change in topic. “Yes, he’s legally deaf but can hear fairly well with the aids. He might need instructions repeated from time to time, but he’s normally good at letting you know that. He also knows sign language, as do the other two, so they can use that mode of communication if anything happens. He has extra batteries in his backpack at all times, and he knows how to change those,” Sawamura said automatically. It was a trend in parents of children who needed extra accommodations. They were very good at giving direct, well-practiced instructions regarding those needs.</p><p>"He's had trouble in the past with teasing, but he's generally a very sociable child," Sawamura fretted. </p><p>“We work hard to promote inclusion here. I'll be sure to keep an eye out for any possible trouble." The other man looked relieved to hear it. "I think that’s all I need, Sawamura-san. You’re free to take your children home.”</p><p>“Thank you. Sugawara-sensei, I’m sorry. I’ll do my best to make sure it doesn’t happen again.” Suga’s anger flared again at the reminder, but he kept his face carefully professional, nodding his head. </p><p>“See to it that you do,” he said. He watched Sawamura call to his children, and they all grouped together, grabbing at his hands and laughing as they followed him to his car. Suga didn’t even realize that he was watching the man buckle his kids into the back of the SUV until he turned around and waved before getting into the driver’s seat and driving off. </p><p>Suga would have to keep an eye on the Sawamura kids. He had a feeling this wasn’t the last time he would be angry about their father.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Okay so like I said weekly updates but I just wrote 2 chapters in 2 days (bringing my total up to 7) so I felt like celebrating by posting this chapter <em>in addition  </em> to the one being posted on Saturday. Surprise?</p><p>btw this chapter has a lot of backstory and not a lot of action, so be patient with me. and thank you so much for the kind comments already!! I appreciate them so much you will never know.</p><p>but also, does this fic even have a plot?? no. it's just kids being cute and daichi being a confused mess and Suga j chillin. </p><p>Anyways, not beta'd, enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I don’t think their teacher likes me much,” Daichi said into the phone over the screaming of Moana songs, pulling the celebratory chicken nuggets from the oven. </p><p>“He seemed nice enough,” Kuroo’s voice says back. “But they had a good day?”</p><p>“You mean, can Tobio stop gushing about his new friend Shouyou, will Chikara stop asking me if he can go over to Hisashi’s house, and is Kiyoko’s new best friend a blonde-haired girl named Yui?” </p><p>“Tobio? Gushing?”</p><p>Daichi chuckled. “Well, he keeps muttering about how stupid Shouyou’s face is, which from him is the biggest complement I can think of.”</p><p>Kuroo laughed. “I'm glad they like the new school.”</p><p>“He thinks I’m a bad parent.”</p><p>“What?” Kuroo asked, probably startled by the abrupt change in topic. “Oh, you mean the teacher?”</p><p>“Oh my god, I wasn’t there to drop them off on their first day of school and I was late picking them up, of course I’m a bad parent,” Daichi moaned, sitting down at the kitchen table, remembering Suga-san’s face pinched in obvious disapproval.</p><p>“No you’re not,” Kuroo said soothingly. The response was automatic, and Daichi was grateful to his friend. “Why were you late picking them up?”</p><p>“We were following a lead that took us to a raid on a suburban house. When we got there, we found pictures of...the man’s daughter. He was selling pictures of his own daughter. God, it was awful. We took him into custody and I stayed with her. I didn’t mean for it to take so long, but before I knew it, it was after four and I was late and oh my god I’m an awful parent--”</p><p>“Daichi. Do you even hear yourself? You were helping a little girl. And I’m sure your kids have already forgotten about it.”</p><p>Daichi looked towards the living room, where the three of them were choreographing a dance to “You’re Welcome.” He sighed. “Their teacher won’t.” </p><p>“I’m sure he’ll realize what a great guy you are and find it in his heart to forgive you.” Kuroo's voice had a teasing lilt, but Daichi knew he wasn't kidding.</p><p>Daichi let the air out of his lungs, contemplating. “Maybe,” he said. It was hard to imagine the scathing words from the teacher turning into friendly conversation. “I gotta let you go, I need to finish dinner.”</p><p>“Sounds good. We still on for Saturday?”</p><p>Daichi smiled. “The kids will be really excited.”</p><p>“Me too! See you then.” </p><p>Kuroo hung up and Daichi went to work microwaving the frozen broccoli, rubbing his face with his hands. It had been a long and emotionally taxing day, but it felt good to be home with the kids, all of them happy and safe. His job, while rewarding beyond belief, did nothing to calm the anxiety he always felt when he left the kids. It made him especially grateful for nights like this.</p><p>“The table!” He yelled into the living room, and the immediate pausing of the movie filled him with satisfaction. He heard three sets of feet running into the connected dining room of the kitchen, and he couldn’t help but turn away from the fridge to watch the kids ready the table. Kiyoko, easily the most responsible of the three, grabbed the plates from their low cabinet, carefully counting out four before closing the cabinet back up. While she did that, Chikara busied himself with getting forks from the drawer, picking up each one and inspecting it closely before deeming it acceptable for dinner use. And Tobio set out the placemats and napkins, which were all piled nicely at the edge of the table from the last time Daichi had done laundry. </p><p>Once the table was set, Daichi put the plate of chicken nuggets and the bowl of broccoli and rice out into the middle of the table, then grabbed four cups and filled them with milk, plastic for the kids and glass for himself. </p><p>It had taken a while to get all of that right. The first few months, Daichi had accidentally given a 4-year-old Kiyoko a glass cup, only to have her shatter it on the floor and dissolve into a crying mess. When he tried to get the kids to set the table, they would put the plates on the chairs. Or stab themselves with silverware. Or just outright refuse to do it. But Daichi had sat them down and explained slowly that setting the table was something a family did. And that was what got them on board.</p><p>Daichi had never really been close with his niece or nephews. He lived a few hours away from his sister and her husband, and his job as a beat cop (and as a bachelor) had taken up so much time that he couldn’t take a lot of time to visit them. The only time he was able to really see them was holidays, and even then he was notorious for skipping out, trying to earn extra favor and cash from picking up holiday shifts at the department. They had paid off, granting him a detective position after only 5 years on the force, but he missed a lot of the important family things.</p><p>And then his sister and her husband had died. Killed in a robbery that left the three kids, too young to be reliable witnesses, unscathed. Daichi would never forget the night he had gotten the phone call from his superior officer, who had been contacted by the police precinct where his sister lived. Daichi had collapsed after hearing the news, sobbing in his commander’s office. And then, when he had asked, “What about the kids?” they told him that they would either be placed with family or, if unwanted, processed and put into the system. That was the word his commander had used. Processed. Like they were pieces of evidence. </p><p>Daichi’s parents were too old and ailing to care for the kids: they themselves had had him and his sister much older than they wanted. His mother’s mind was too far into the clouds to know who Daichi was on a good day, and was in no condition to look after her grandchildren. His parents and his sister were the only people in his family he actually knew, the rest living too far or deciding that they no longer cared enough to keep up a relationship. And Daichi couldn’t stand the thought of his sister’s children, with her eyes and her husband’s smile, being packed away to some long-lost relative or being separated in the foster or adoption system. </p><p>He had immediately contacted the proper services, taking legal guardianship of his sister’s children. Not even a year later, the younger two were calling him Dad. At the point they were at now, two years later, Daichi couldn’t even imagine a life without them. Without Kiyoko’s sweet smile, or Chikara’s comforting head pats, or Tobio’s overexaggerated scowl. They really had become his kids, and now nothing was more important to him than family.</p><p>A lot had changed when he became a father, though. He got used to sleeping less, whether it was from worry or being woken at all hours of night for one reason or another (Tobio tended to get thirsty at the most inopportune times). He abandoned any thought of dating ever again, even though he really wasn’t that great of a boyfriend to begin with. He always had a diaper bag when they went out (now a snack bag), he had switched out his small car for a family one to fit the carseats, he cooked dinner almost every night. </p><p>He also relied on his friends a lot more than before, and was pleasantly surprised when they stepped up as much as he did. When he told them, Kuroo immediately began looking for kid-friendly apartments, Asahi had talked over funeral plans with him, Bokuto had given him the phone numbers of three nanny ex-girlfriends (with strict instructions not to mention his name), Iwaizumi had started budgeting from the life insurance policies and Daichi’s savings/current income, and Akaashi had started a rotation so that he didn’t have to make dinner or go shopping for the first four months the kids lived with him. He truly didn’t deserve them. </p><p>“Dinosaur shapes!” Tobio exclaimed, a wide smile on his face as he took in the chicken nuggets.</p><p>“Well today was a big day. I thought we could celebrate with dinosaur chicken nuggets," Daichi said with a smile, and his statement was met with cheers from his kids. Daichi helped them balance their broccoli with their chicken nuggets, squirting some ketchup out for Chika and barbecue for Kiyoko. Tobio was weird in that he refused to eat food unless it was completely plain, without any sauces or embellishments, but Daichi could remember his sister being the same way as a kid and it made him smile. </p><p>“So I talked to Uncle Kuroo today,” Daichi started. The table immediately exploded with shouts of “Kuroo!” He just smiled and waited until they quieted before he continued. “Are you three still up for a visit to the zoo on Saturday?” Immediately, more excited yelling. Daichi saw that his youngest son was sitting silently, eyebrows furrowed, and Daichi put a hand on his shoulder. “Tobio? What’s on your mind?”</p><p>“Will there be polar bears?” He asked seriously. </p><p>Daichi laughed. “Yes, I do believe there will be polar bears.”</p><p>“Oh,” Tobio said, looking pleased. </p><p>“And panda bears and black bears and koala bears,” Chika started, waving a chicken nugget in the air with flourish as he listed the animals. </p><p>“And polar bears!” Tobio said, wanting to be included.</p><p>“We already said that, silly,” Kiyoko giggled.</p><p>“I’m not silly!” Tobio yelled across the table, suddenly upset.</p><p>“Now now, Tobio-chan. You know your sister’s only teasing,” Daichi said, trying to stop a fight that hadn’t even started.</p><p>Tobio crossed his arms, satiated a bit by Daichi’s soothing tone. “I’m not silly.”</p><p>“Well, maybe a little,” Daichi said, reaching over to tickle the little boy. </p><p>“I’m not...silly!” He gasped between laughs, and Daichi picked the boy up, throwing him over his shoulder and walking to the living room, where there was carpet.</p><p>“Not silly, huh? Then what do you call this?” Daichi flipped his son, holding him by the ankles and causing Tobio to squeal with delight. “Now you’re upside down! That’s pretty silly to me!” </p><p>“Me next, me next!” Chikara was chanting, running into the living room after them. Kiyoko, like the literal angel she was, finished her chicken nuggets before walking calmly into the room, looking at them as if she would never understand boys. </p><p>It made Daichi laugh.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Suga rubbed his face tiredly, staring at the binders spread out on the floor in front of him. So, so many binders. All color-coded, as they should be, and all with multicolored tabs sticking neatly out of them. Stray papers also stuck out, but Suga made the executive decision to ignore those. He was allowed to not tuck every paper back in. He was giving himself that leeway.</p><p>His cell phone chimed with an incoming call, and he lunged for it, grateful for the reprieve. “Hello?”</p><p>“Yo,” the voice on the other end said.</p><p>“Tooru,” Suga sighed. “What do you want.”</p><p>His best friend gasped. “Rude. Assuming I want something.” Suga waited patiently, knowing that he could hold out a hell of a lot longer than the man on the other line could. “Fine. I want something. But don’t assume I want something every time I call you!” </p><p>“What is it?”</p><p>“Yams asked me to check in. He’s anxious but refuses to call you because he doesn’t want to make you anxious.” </p><p>Unfortunately, that made sense to Suga, even with his brain as tired as it was. “He can call me. He knows this.” He sighed. They both knew Yamaguchi would never call him to ask about the wedding planning. “You can give him good news. The florist stepped back in, and wants to meet with the happy couple next week for a reading. Apparently, he likes to meet the couples, talk about their theme, and then create a flower accent that matches both the couple and wedding.”</p><p>“Ooh, fancy,” Oikawa crooned. “Will you email them the florist’s information and I’ll talk them through it?”</p><p>“Of course,” Suga sighed. “You know, I’m beginning to think we might actually be able to pull this off.”</p><p>Tooru scoffed. “You say that every time. Stop talking yourself up to me, I already know how sexy planning a wedding single-handedly makes you look.” </p><p>Suga bit back a chuckle, not wanting to give Tooru the pleasure. “Last week I was thinking we were way in over our heads.”</p><p>“No worries!” Tooru said. “Tomorrow I’m going to annoy the owners of the venue so much that they won’t be able to deny us the date, and then we’ll put on the best wedding ever by October 18th.”</p><p>“Gee, you make it sound so easy I can’t believe we aren’t done already!” Suga quipped sarcastically. He didn’t actually feel that way, he was just feeling the pressure of putting on a perfect wedding for his friends. It was kind of a hobby of his, to put together small weddings for couples looking for renewals or personal, tiny weddings, so when Tsukishima and Yamaguchi, friends of his and Oikawa’s from university, begged them to plan their wedding, they had agreed with little hesitation. But this was easily the biggest wedding he had ever planned, even with Oikawa helping out. </p><p>“Cheer up. You’ll win best friend of the world for this once it’s over,” Oikawa said. </p><p>“Of course. My main motivation for planning the happiest day of my friends’ lives,” Suga rolled his eyes again. “Let Tsukki and Yams know about the florist. I’ll call you tomorrow when my brain isn’t mush” </p><p>“Okay! Love you dear, get some sleep,” Oikawa made gross kissing noises into the phone, and Suga hung up with another eye roll. His friends.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>anyways, let me know if you liked it! what will the kids (and Daichi) get into next?</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>  <em>Next time: Morning routines and Suga wanting to rip his hair out!! And...volleyball??? Shocker, truly.</em></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Some more fluff and development of the world/characters!</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Like I've said, this is just a lot of Actual Dad Daichi feels, and I am nothing if not honest.</p><p>Not beta'd, sorry for mistakes!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Daddy?” Daichi rubbed his eyes, trying to adjust them to the dark. When he could see, he saw a small figure standing at the side of his bed.</p><p>“What is it, bud?” He croaked, trying to kickstart his brain. </p><p>“Can I sleep with you?” Tobio asked, voice small. “The shadows in my room are trying to eat me.”</p><p>Daichi sighed, rolling to the other side of his bed to make room for his son. This happened about every month or so, when Tobio would be convinced that the shadows in his room were going to curl around him and take him away, “like what happened to Mommy and Daddy.” The first time he had come into Daichi’s room with that explanation, Daichi had sobbed. As it was now, he would hold his son in gentle understanding. He doubted Tobio remembered much about his parents, but had rather come up with the shadow thing from broken pieces of conversation he had heard over the years. </p><p>Daichi tried to keep himself awake, knowing that his other two children would join them soon. Kiyoko was a frighteningly light sleeper, and whenever she heard Tobio get up for longer than it took to get a glass of water, she would creep into the boys’ room and shake Chikara awake before they both trouped to his bed to get Dai cuddles, too. </p><p>Like clockwork, his other two children creeped in five minutes later, and Daichi held the covers up for them. They crawled in, Tobio pushed between his right side and Kiyoko, and Chikara wedged into his left side, his little head over Daichi’s chest so he could feel his heartbeat. Kiyoko pressed her legs against his like she always did, creating the perfect little cradle for the youngest member of their clan. She was the perfect big sister: a great leader, role model, and protector. Daichi was sure that without her, he would lose his mind. He was sure it would change as she grew older and more beautiful (Daichi vividly remembered chasing off the overwhelming number of boys from his sister and the stress that came with that), but for now she was his saving grace. </p><p>In the morning, he gently shook Chikara awake as his alarm blared and the four of them tiredly got out of bed. They were all normally pretty good morning people, but after nights like that they needed a little extra time to wake up. Daichi chose cereal for breakfast, and while the kids ate he laid out their outfits. It had taken him forever to understand colors, but eventually -- with the help of Bokuto -- he was able to dress the children well enough that they could be presented in public. </p><p>Or at least, that’s how Bokuto put it.</p><p>Once the kids had dressed and brushed their teeth and Daichi himself finished getting ready, they did the dishes from the morning together (which really comprised of Daichi doing the dishes, Tobio sitting on the counter and playing with the dish soap, Kiyoko drying, and Chikara putting them away in the wrong places). By then it was finally time to head to the school, and they left the house, piling into their car. The outside of the house was getting a little overgrown, as Diachi couldn’t upkeep it as well as the realtor did when they showed him the house, and he resolved to try and work on it on Sunday. He hadn’t lived in a house before in his life, as a child he and his family had lived in the city and therefore in an apartment. He couldn’t say he hated having a house: the yard was nice and it was great to not have upstairs neighbors. </p><p>Once they got to the school, Daichi helped his kids out of the car before marching them in, Kiyoko leading, Tobio behind her, and Chikara lagging almost behind Daichi. Chikara claimed that he was afraid that Daichi might wander off if he wasn’t there to keep an eye on him, and it was just another thing about Chikara that Daichi loved. Once they got inside the school, Kiyoko looked anxious to dart off and find Yachi, so Daichi pressed his lips to the top of her head and sent her off. She wasted no time running over to Takeda-sensei’s classroom. The small man greeted her happily and raised his hand in greeting to Daichi, who waved back. </p><p>Then Daichi followed his sons to their classroom, where they dragged him into it. “You have to see my finger painting! Suga-sensei put it up on the wall!” Daichi laughed and let his sons lead him to one of the walls of the classroom. It was filled with new art, and Daichi could immediately pick out Chikara’s masterpiece. The kid wasn’t good, that much was true, but Chikara’s signature move was making the sky pink. There was only one painting with a pink sky. </p><p>Chikara was explaining that it was their family, with Tobio, and Kiyoko, and him, and Daddy, and even Kuroo, Akaashi, Bokuto, Iwaizumi, and Asahi. Daichi smiled warmly at his son, ruffling his hair. “It’s wonderful, Chikara.” </p><p>“It’s something special, isn’t it?” Suga-sensei appeared beside them, grinning at Chikara. “I knew I had to display it after he created a piece of art so personal.” </p><p>Chikara beamed at the praise and ran off, his “Bye Dad!” lost in the small sea of children. He hadn’t even realized it, but Tobio had slipped away already, playing in the corner with a tiny red-haired boy.</p><p>“He’s not much good,” Daichi joked, raising his hand to gently touch the pink sky.</p><p>“You never know what you could be good at unless you nurture a passion,” Suga-sensei said crossly, and Daichi realized that he had misstepped again.</p><p>“Sorry, I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just that it reminds me of his mother.” Daichi smiled and shook his head, lost in a memory. “She was an awful artist, too. When we were younger, she would always have to explain her drawings to me so I could understand them.” He dropped his hand from the painting. “Always had a pink sky, though.”</p><p>Suga’s face was gentler at the use of the past tense, more forgiving. “You and Chikara’s mother met when you were that young?” He prodded.</p><p>Daichi smiled wryly at the painting. It was obvious how it was missing a female figure. “Oh, no. Nothing like that. His mother was my sister.” He’s not sure what the look on Suga-sensei’s face is. Not quite surprise, maybe something more. Like he was trying to solve a jigsaw puzzle that didn’t have all the pieces. Maybe that was too on-the-nose. </p><p>“Sorry, Sawamura-san. I didn’t mean to pry,” the teacher said. </p><p>“Nonsense. You’re fine. And please, call me Daichi.” Daichi still hated it when people called him Sawamura-san. Reminded him too much of his grandfather. “I apologize again about yesterday. I’m quite embarrassed that I was so irresponsible,” he said. He truly didn’t want to create a rift between himself and his sons’ teacher after the first day.</p><p>“Consider it forgotten as long as you don’t make a habit of it,” Suga-sensei said, a smile playing at his lips. </p><p>“I’ll see you this afternoon, on time,” Daichi promised. </p><p>“I’ll hold you to it, Daichi-san,” Suga-sensei said, turning to greet another student. Good. Daichi wouldn’t want it any other way. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Suga was groaning over another piece of the wedding planning (why were there over fifty options for chocolate cake!? Chocolate was chocolate!) when he got his nightly call from Oikawa. </p><p>“Something very exciting has happened, Suga-chan!” He didn’t even wait for a hello.</p><p>“Let me guess, you found someone to fuck,” Suga said bluntly, not in the mood. And also, he was maybe a bit drunk from the two glasses of wine he had downed after work. </p><p>Oikawa wasn’t bothered. “I found someone to fuck!” He confirmed. “Hot Accountant with the cute butt and the long legs agreed to a date tonight.” </p><p>Suga whistled. He had never thought Hot Accountant would ever give in, he had actually seemed like a reasonable human being. Oikawa had met him in a bar apparently owned by Accountant Guy’s friend, and over the past few months Oikawa had been frequenting the bar in hopes that he could charm Accountant Guy into going on a date with him. Apparently Oikawa’s perseverance paid off: Account Guy was either charmed or annoyed enough to agree to a date.</p><p>“Congrats, Tooru. I’m sure you’ll be very happy together.” </p><p>“Who knows Koushi? Maybe this won’t be a one night stand.” </p><p>Suga tried not to laugh. Oikawa said that line enough that it felt like a bit. Just a joke between two old friends, neither of whom was particularly lucky in love. “Good luck with that Tooru.”</p><p>“Think of it! One day we might be like Tsukki-chan and Yama-chan!”</p><p>Suga did laugh that time. “For now, I just want to figure out what type of chocolate they want their cake to be. Call me after your date, I want all of the PG details.”</p><p>“No fun! Not even a little PG-13 business?” </p><p>“Goodbye, Tooru,” Suga said, hanging up. He tossed his phone to the side and sighed at the floor full of wedding plans. Was it really only Friday night? The days had started to drag, like they did sometimes when his friends and family were all busy for long periods of time. Suga didn’t like to be alone with his thoughts, and maybe that was one of the reasons he agreed to take on wedding preparations. What was he going to do once the wedding was over in a few months?</p><p>“Maybe I’ll get a cat,” he mused to his empty apartment, standing up to make his way to the fridge. Eh, maybe not. Was getting a cat like admitting defeat? It felt like it would be. Suga’s mind wandered. A dog would be less sad than a cat, right? He grabbed the wine bottle from the fridge, contemplating. While a cat felt like settling, a dog felt like a cry for help. A lizard, maybe? That could fill his life with more meaning. He poured himself another glass of wine, hoping it would help him find the answer.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It was one of those rare, beautiful days that made Daichi happy to be alive. Every breath he took felt like it was his first, his kids were giggling and smiling, and his friends were about at the end of their rope.</p><p>“Chikara!!!” Kuroo yelled, his hair flat on the side where Chika managed to lob the volleyball perfectly. He ran after the squealing boy, who hid behind Bokuto. A wide smile graced his face, and Daichi watched fondly as Kuroo melted, scooping Chika into his arms and blowing a raspberry onto his shoulder. “How are we ever going to learn volleyball if you keep throwing the ball at my head?”</p><p>“Sorry Uncle Kuroo,” Chikara said solemnly. “But your hair is like a balloon!” Kuroo looked extremely offended, reaching a hand up to feel at his hair. </p><p>“He’s right, you know. Maybe you should consider a different style,” Bokuto dodged Kuroo’s fist, laughing along with Chikara.</p><p>“You put your hands just like this,” Iwaizumi was showing Kiyoko, folding his hands like you do when you pass. </p><p>“And then lock your elbows!” Kiyoko responded studiously, simultaneously locking her elbows and bending her knees. </p><p>“Exactly! You’re a natural!” Iwaizumi praised. Kiyoko’s grin widened. </p><p>Daichi turned to see Akaashi quietly showing Tobio how to hold his hands for the set, a volleyball that looked huge compared to the small child pressed in his tiny hands. Tobio practiced trying to set it, pushing with his legs and elbows, ending the set with finger guns in the air. He had the same look of determination on his face that he had whenever Daichi said that he couldn’t eat a large ice cream cone, or that Chikara was eating more vegetables than him. Tobio was a surprisingly competitive child.</p><p>The day had started with preparations for a barbecue, and that had quickly fallen apart when the kids kept hearing stories about high school and college volleyball. From there, all it took was, “Can we play like you, Dad?” before everyone was pulling out the balls they kept (or accidentally left) in their cars, determined to teach his kids the basics of volleyball.</p><p>“Dai! Iwa said you were a receiver!” Kiyoko was yelling at him. He had never seen her so excited.</p><p>He laughed, smoothing her ponytail. “I was a wing spiker, but a big part of my job was receiving. It looks like you’re doing so well!” He said. </p><p>“Can you show me how you do it?” She asked.</p><p>“She wanted to see how to receive when someone’s spiking balls,” Iwa offered as an explanation.</p><p>“Instead of tossing them!” She added.</p><p>Daichi shrugged. “Sure, Kiyoko. Iwa, will you do the honors?”</p><p>“Been a while since I’ve hit to you. It’s my pleasure.” Iwa wasted no time throwing the volleyball up into the air and snapping down on it, his hand connecting to it with a resounding crack. Iwa was a good aim, and Daichi barely had to move as he received it, bringing it up high enough so that Iwa could spike it again. They did it for a few more rounds before Iwa caught Daichi’s receive in the air, looking down at Kiyoko. “How was that?”</p><p>Her eyes were shining. “Awesome! I want to be a wing spiker!” Daichi’s heart swelled. </p><p>“No I wanna be a wing spiker!” Chikara yelled, not wanting to be left out. Daichi doubted either of his children knew what a wing spiker actually was. </p><p>“I wanna wing!” Tobio added, not quite getting it all. </p><p>“No, you want to set, Tobio-chan,” Akaashi said encouragingly. “You’re gonna be a setter.” </p><p>“We’ll see about that,” Bokuto picked Tobio up into his arms, making the boy giggle. “A little practice with me and I’ll have him gunning for ace!” </p><p>“With his height? Good luck with that,” Kuroo snorted.</p><p>“Um, he’s four? Have a little faith. If I recall correctly, you were under five foot until middle school!” Daichi nudged Kuroo’s shoulder with his own. </p><p>“I was a late bloomer!” His friend squawked. </p><p>“Come on, I think we’ve played volleyball enough. Let’s eat!”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So who do you think Accountant Guy is? (This end note will not age well once I add the relationship tag, but for now I'll enjoy it)</p><p>Next time: groceries, hearing aids, and bikes!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Decided to post another chapter in addition to the usual Saturday update! I'm just too impatient and you're all so sweet. Thank you so much for every thoughtful comment, I appreciate them all!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I think this will be about 10 chapters (9 + an epilogue), depending. I have it planned out for that much, except for chapters 7-9 I’ve been writing way more per chapter than I originally meant to, so if it goes over 10 that’s why. I try to keep each chapter to 2,000 words, but these newer ones are more like 4,000. We’ll see what happens I guess! I’ll be flexible if you guys can be too :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Chikara, I swear to god. If you put that cereal in the cart one more time you’re being banished to the baby chair.” </p>
<p>“No!! I don’t wanna be in the baby chair!” Chikara screamed, and Daichi looked at him seriously. </p>
<p>“I’m sorry, I don’t understand whining. Can you repeat that without screaming?”</p>
<p>Chikara took a deep, angry breath, then repeated it. “I don’t wanna go in the baby chair,” he said sullenly. </p>
<p>Daichi tried to stop himself from rubbing his face with his hand. “Then please put the cereal back. I told you, we can’t buy a new one until we finish the three boxes we have at home.” Chikara grumbled something under his breath, setting the box back on the shelf. Daichi was sure that he didn’t want to know. Going grocery shopping with three kids was not ideal, but usually Daichi didn’t have a choice.</p>
<p>Luckily, Tobio was still small enough to fit in the aforementioned “baby chair” of the shopping cart, so Daichi never had to worry about him wandering off or running over his tiny feet with the cart. But Chikara and Kiyoko were a whole different story, and after thirty minutes trying to gather everything on the grocery list, they were all quickly growing grumpy and tired. </p>
<p>“Can we go back to the zoo?” Tobio asked. He had asked the same question maybe fourteen times in the past hour, every hour, since they had gone to the zoo with Kuroo less than a day ago. </p>
<p>“Someday, buddy. But we just went, so we have to give the animals a break.”</p>
<p>“A break?”</p>
<p>“Yeah. Like when you have to nap. The animals need a long nap,” Daichi said. </p>
<p>“Oh,” Tobio nodded sagely, as if Daichi had told him the meaning of life. To Daichi, naps<em> were </em>the meaning of life. And he could use a huge one right about now. </p>
<p>“Now where the heck are the noodles?” Daichi grumbled, staring up at the aisle signs.</p>
<p>“We passed them before,” Kiyoko said, looking bored.</p>
<p>“What do you mean? When did we pass them?”</p>
<p>“Before.”</p>
<p>Daichi quickly swallowed the annoyance that was rising in his throat and let it out in a sigh. He really needed to recruit another friend for this next time, for his sanity’s sake. “Well, once we get the noodles, how about we pick out some cookie mix to make at home?” He asked. </p>
<p>That immediately perked his kids up. They started arguing gently about the kind of cookie, but came to an agreement after Tobio’s compelling argument (“Buy chocolate chip?”). After dragging his troupe through a few more aisles they finally found the noodles (Kiyoko was right, he had passed right by them when he was buying onion crisps). “To the baking aisle!” He announced.</p>
<p>“To the baking aisle!” Came the excited echo. They turned around to go back the way they came, towards the registers and the aisle with all of the premade mixes. His eldest kids were skipping around the cart, energy renewed, and Tobio had come up with a song that consisted of him tapping the cart and humming “Cookies!” every few seconds. </p>
<p>Daichi didn’t have time to react when Chikara went skipping straight into some dude’s crotch, the two colliding with an, “Oof!” Chikara immediately jumped back, indicating that he was alright.</p>
<p>“Oh my gosh, are you okay? I’m so sorry about that,” Daichi said, focusing on grabbing Chikara’s hand and pulling him even further away from the stranger. </p>
<p>“I’m perfectly alright,” the voice said, and Daichi looked up in surprise.</p>
<p>“Suga-sensei!” Chikara voiced the words in Daichi’s mouth, and his son pulled away from Daichi’s grip to attack his teacher again, only this time going in for a hug. </p>
<p>“Chikara,” Daichi scolded. “You need to ask permission before you hug someone. We talked about this,” he said the last part with great exasperation. </p>
<p>Suga crouched next to the boy, who looked properly chastised. “Sorry, Suga-sensei,” he said. Daichi watched Suga melt, smiling warmly at the boy. </p>
<p>“That’s alright. I’ll make it easy, okay? You can hug me whenever you want, without permission.” </p>
<p>“Really!?” Chikara’s eyes were alight with the possibilities. “Only Kuroo-chan lets me do that!” </p>
<p>Suga nodded sagely. “But you still have to ask anyone else permission, even if they gave you permission before. Sometimes people change their minds.” </p>
<p>Chikara nodded. “Can I hug you again, Sensei?”</p>
<p>“Of course,” Suga opened his arms and Chikara hugged him. </p>
<p>“We’re getting cookies!” Tobio yelled, not wanting down but apparently not wanting to be left out of the moment.</p>
<p>“Oh really?” Suga asked, standing up and raising an eyebrow at Daichi.</p>
<p>Daichi shrugged unapologetically. “Bribes work,” was all he said. </p>
<p>Daichi wasn’t sure if it was his imagination or wishful thinking, but Suga seemed a lot more warm towards him than he had been in the past. “I’m not judging,” the teacher laughed, throwing his hands in the air. He turned to the kids. “Chikara-kun, Tobio-kun, Kiyoko-san. It was nice to run into you, but I should leave you to your cookie shopping.” He bowed slightly, then smirked up at Daichi. “And good luck with that bribe, Daichi-san.” Was that Daichi’s imagination, or was Suga...flirting? He made a mental note to keep an eye out for future flirting attempts as the kids chorused goodbye. The teacher truly wasn’t bad looking. Actually, Daichi would go as far as saying that he was fairly attractive. In a silver-haired, angel-looking, eyes-that-stared-right-through --</p>
<p>“Dai! Cookies!” Kiyoko reminded him, tugging his shirt sleeve.</p>
<p>"What's a bribe?" Chikara asked.</p>
<p>“Wha-? Oh! Cookies! Let’s go!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Class was about to start and there was no sign of Daichi or his two sons. Suga poked his head out of the classroom door, noticing Takeda in the hallway, about to close his classroom door. “Takeda-sensei!” He called. The other man pushed his glasses up his nose, looking up at Suga. “Has Sawamura-san dropped off Kiyoko-san yet this morning?”</p>
<p>Takeda shook his head. “No, not yet. And I didn’t receive a call from the office saying she wouldn’t be in class today.”</p>
<p>“Me neither,” Suga said, mostly to himself. “Thanks!” Takeda raised his hand in acknowledgement, about to close the door again when the sound of frantic footsteps echoed down the hallway. They both shared a look and then turned to see Daichi slide into view around the hallway corner, Chikara on his hip and Kiyoko clutching onto his hand, being dragged behind him. As he got closer Suga could see that his hair was going every which way and his shirt was buttoned up incorrectly. He was honestly surprised that the detective was wearing shoes. </p>
<p>“Ah, Kiyoko-san,” Takeda smiled. “Good to see you, we were about to start class. Care to join?” He opened up the classroom door for her and she left after her father pecked a kiss onto her head.</p>
<p>“Sorry, Takeda-sensei,” he huffed, still trying to catch his breath. He turned to Suga, setting Chikara down. “Tobio’s...sick,” he gasped, smoothing the hair on his middle child’s head. “Had to find someone to watch him while I took these two to school.” Daichi finally seemed to catch his breath, standing at full height. “Sorry we’re late.” </p>
<p>Suga tried to hide a smile, holding a hand over his mouth. “Your shirt is on inside out,” he said, and Daichi immediately looked down, face reddening. </p>
<p>“Oh god,” he said. </p>
<p>“Daddy,” Chikara said, tugging on his dad’s sleeve.</p>
<p>“What is it bud?” He looked down, rubbing his hand over his son’s hair again. </p>
<p>“Daddy, I can’t hear.”</p>
<p>Sawamura Daichi turned white, immediately dropping down and taking his son’s head in his hands, turning it roughly to look in his ears. He looked up at Suga, panic in his eyes. “We forgot his hearing aids.” Suga watched as Daichi signed to his son desperately, then pulled him in and kissed the top of his head. “Okay.” Daichi stood, looking at Suga with wide eyes. “I forgot his hearing aids, but Akaashi is good to watch Tobio for another forty five minutes while I drive home and get them. I’ll be back in thirty, just give him something to do with his hands and he’ll be great!” He crouched back down and signed something else to his son.</p>
<p>“Bye Daddy!” </p>
<p>Suga watched Daichi sprint away, pretending like he wasn’t admiring his ass in his slacks. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>After making sure that his older son could hear, Daichi burst into his house again. Akaashi and Tobio were right where he left them, curled up on the couch, with Tobio in Akaashi’s arms as he rocked them. </p>
<p>“Akaashi,” Daichi sighed in relief. “Thank you so much.” </p>
<p>Akaashi waved at him with his free hand. “No big deal. I haven’t checked his temperature since you did this morning, though. You might want to monitor it for change.” </p>
<p>“Will do.” Akaashi stood and transferred the sleeping Tobio into Daichi’s arms. “Thank you again. Are you sure your boss understands?” </p>
<p>Akaashi looked at him like he was stupid. “My boss thinks that Tobio hung the moon after that one time I took him with me to the station.” Akaashi was right, of course. The producers at the radio station adored Tobio because of his serious mannerisms and his matter-of-fact way of doing things. “And stop feeling bad, it’s fine. I love the kid, too. You just take care of him, alright? Call me if you need anything.” </p>
<p>Daichi nodded, watching Akaashi go. He would never understand what he did to deserve such amazing friends. Then he set Tobio down on the couch into a nest of blankets, causing him to moan, and ran into the kitchen to grab the thermometer and a glass of water. “Daddy?” He heard, and he ran back with both things in hand, setting them on the coffee table. </p>
<p>“I’m right here, Tobs. It’s okay,” he sat beside his son and pulled him up onto his lap, carding his fingers through his hair. </p>
<p>“I don’t feel good,” Tobio moaned, tears running down his cheeks. Daichi wanted to cry with him, seeing how much pain Tobio was in, but he knew it would probably just scare him.</p>
<p>“I know, buddy. But you and I are gonna get through it, okay? Together. I’m gonna take your temperature, and then we’re gonna sip some water, okay?” Tobio nodded, so Daichi took out the thermometer and instructed Tobio to let it rest under his tongue. After thirty seconds it beeped and he checked the reading. 38C, no need to contact a doctor. Daichi let out a little sigh of relief. “Here, drink some water bud.” He lifted the cup to Tobio’s lips, and he sipped.</p>
<p>More than likely, it was just a cold. But as long as Tobio felt miserable, Daichi was going to sit next to him and wipe his nose. And also hope that it didn’t spread to the rest of the family. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tobio looked troubled, which was not an unfamiliar look for him, but this time it was directed at Kiyoko. “Is it gonna be okay?” He asked tentatively from his spot on the front porch as he watched Daichi strap the helmet onto Kiyoko’s head. Chikara, who was thoroughly enjoying his new sidewalk chalk courtesy of Asahi, couldn’t care less about his sister’s milestone.</p>
<p>“It’s going to be just fine,” Daichi said firmly, whether he was saying it to Kiyoko or Tobio or himself was still to be determined. </p>
<p>“It’s going to be fine,” Kiyoko echoed, placing her small hand on his shoulder. Daichi smiled at his beautiful little girl. It would be. </p>
<p>He slapped his knees and stood up, picking up the purple bike from where it had toppled into the grass. “Okay, now I’ll be running right beside you the whole time, okay?” He assured her, and she nodded back. “Great. Now come on up.” She clamoured onto the bike. “You remember how to brake, right?”</p>
<p>Kiyoko sighed. “Yes, Dai.” </p>
<p>“And pedaling? You remember that too?” </p>
<p>She rolled her little eyes, looking beyond done with his fretting. “I’m ready! All my friends have their training wheels off!” </p>
<p>“Well all your friends didn’t just get a bike a few months ago,” Daichi grumbled back, but he understood her point. “Alright, fine. Let’s do this.” </p>
<p>She remounted the bike, a look of determination in her eyes. Daichi held onto the back of the seat with one hand, the handlebars with the other, and took a deep breath. Time to remind himself how out of shape he was. “On three. One, two, three!” He took off running and she started pedaling, Daichi quickly losing his footing and doing his best to keep up. He didn’t even realize how fast they were going until his legs couldn’t keep up, and he tripped, letting go of the seat and handlebars in the process so that Kiyoko wouldn’t lose her balance.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, the sudden loss of support made Daichi faceplant into the asphalt, his palms and chin scraping painfully against the little pebbles that littered the road. “Shit,” Diachi murmured, sitting up and surveying his hands, which had an entire layer of skin stripped from them. He looked up, remembering Kiyoko, and laughed in surprise as she circled back, riding the bike perfectly well on her own. </p>
<p>“Are you okay?” She asked, slowing to a stop like an absolute pro.</p>
<p>“You did it!” Daichi cheered.</p>
<p>“And you’re bleeding,” she said, her face scrunched up in distaste. The proud jut of her chin said, <em>of course I did it. </em></p>
<p>“I’m so proud of you,” Daichi said, standing with a little difficulty (he was going to have bruised knees for a long, long time. He could feel it) and knocking his fist on Kiyoko’s helmet. She giggled, waving away his hand. </p>
<p>“Can we go again?” She asked. </p>
<p>“Let’s do it.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>
  <em>Next time: angst, so much angst.</em>
</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>All of your comments on the last chapter were SO NICE! I'm posting this at midnight so TECHNICALLY it's Saturday.     .....I have no patience I think you all understand that by now.</p><p>Mild TW: talks about death and grieving. Nothing too serious, but wanted to warn you anyways. </p><p>This chapter ended up with more tears than I meant it to, and there are like zero (0) happy fun kid times. Oops? Anyway I still absolutely loved writing this chapter (my favorite so far, actually), and I hope you all like it, too. </p><p>PSA this is the last short chapter - after this, they accidentally start growing into 4k each. I have actually lost control of this fic so you're welcome (or I'm sorry? I don't know what to say in this situation).</p><p>Un-beta'd!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“NO NO NO NO!!” Ryuu Tanaka was screaming, throwing down plastic fruit onto the ground. “I want to play too!!” </p><p>Even though Suga was busy trying to placate Tanaka, his eyes were drawn to the solemn Sawamura family standing in the doorway, where Daichi was hugging both of his boys farewell for the day, holding them like they might slip through his fingers at any moment. Suga came up with a quick solution for Ryuu -- let him cook on the fake cooking set only if he let Hisashi cook, too. He noticed that Daichi hadn’t quite left yet, and he walked up to the man. </p><p>“Is everything alright?” He blurted before he could stop himself, noticing that the other man’s face was void of its usual simple contentment. </p><p>Daichi looked a little surprised, but the expression smoothed out as he watched his sons put their backpacks away together. He cleared his throat. “They’ll be taking a half day today, I’ll be back for the boys at lunch time,” he said levelly, looking as if leaving them pained him greatly. </p><p>Suga knew when not to push. “Sounds fine. I’ll make sure they have all of their things packed.”</p><p>“Thank you,” Daichi said, his voice barely above a whisper. Then he cleared his throat again, looking at his watch. “I have to go to work. I’ll see you at lunch.” </p><p>“See you at lunch,” Suga echoed, watching the man leave. He wondered what caused that devastated look on his face, but realized it was none of his business.</p><p>“Okay class!” He said loudly, getting the kids’ attention. “How about we go over the days of the week? Criss cross applesauce everybody!” The kids gathered on the alphabet carpet, Tobio and Chikara oddly sitting next to each other, which they usually didn’t do. Suga went through his lessons with the kids easily, practicing days of the week, months, seasons, and counting. They could almost count to fifty now, which they were all pretty excited about. </p><p>After the main lesson, he let the kids break out into centers, which was a rotating schedule of activities for them to all hone their skills on. It varied from computers to audio books to make believe to crafts, and was an easy way for him to keep his classroom of kids busy and engaged. Everything seemed to be going well until he heard the sounds of a distressed child. He looked around, but no one in the centers was crying. </p><p>He followed the sound back to the cubbies, where Tobio and Chikara had snuck off to. He turned the corner to see the two brothers, but the scene was a bit surprising. Tobio was usually the brother who needed consoling, and Chikara gladly gave him support. But this time, Chikara was crying and Tobio had the older and bigger boy cradled beside him, his tiny arms wrapped around his big brother as far as they would go. Chikara was sobbing softly, face buried in Tobio’s shoulder, and they were both rocking back and forth slowly. </p><p>Suga crouched down next to them, and Tobio tightened his grip protectively. “Hey you two,” he said softly, causing Chikara to turn and look at him. “What’s wrong?” He asked. </p><p>Chikara hiccuped, proof of how hard he’d been crying. “Chika’s sad,” Tobio answered quietly. His face was as serious as Suga had ever seen it, and that was saying something.</p><p>“Why are you sad, Chikara? Can I help?”</p><p>Chikara sniffled, then shook his head. “I want Daddy,” he said. </p><p>“Your dad’ll be here during lunch, okay? That’s only one more hour. Do you think you can last another hour?” Suga asked gently, eyes wide and understanding.</p><p>Chikara nodded shakily, wiping at the tear tracks on his face. “Yeah,” he said back. Tobio stood up and offered his hand to Chikara, who took it. Suga had noticed that the brothers were close, but it seemed like their relationship reached past the depth that normal four- and five-year-old relationships held. </p><p>“Let’s go back out there and sit at a table. You two can play with the sand if you want,” he suggested, knowing that they loved that. </p><p>“Okay,” Chikara said. Suga led them to the sand table, a short table with high sides so that the sand didn’t fall out of it. </p><p>“I’ll let you know when it’s time for lunch, okay?” The boys nodded. Suga stepped away to check in on the other students, but he glanced back at the Sawamura boys often, worried about them. They were much quieter than usual, signing to each other in a silent language that Suga didn’t understand but for the first time wished he could, just so that he could comfort them to another degree. </p><p>The hour slogged on, but finally it was lunch time, and once Suga got all of the kids settled with their packed lunches, Daichi came knocking on the classroom door, Kiyoko attached to his hand. His sons ambushed him, and Suga could tell by the pained look on Daichi’s face that they were crying again. He held them for a moment longer before his eyes met Suga’s and he looked almost embarrassed as he clutched his sons to his body. Daichi stood, checking that they all had their backpacks before nodding to Suga.</p><p>“Thank you, Sensei. We’ll see you tomorrow.”</p><p>“Bye, Sensei,” Tobio whispered, letting his dad pick him up and carry him in his arms as he waved his little hand. </p><p>Suga watched the somber, dark-haired family leave. Their eyes held a sorrow today that Suga had never seen in them before, and it filled him with heartache.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The kids were completely silent as they drove the two hours to the cemetery. Daichi had flowers in the back of the car and a few stuffed animals, which the kids loved to leave their parents whenever they visited. They all walked along the endless rows of headstones, Tobio and Chikara clasping onto his left hand, gripping so tightly his fingers were bushing purple, Kiyoko gripping his right. Two years ago today, all of their lives had abruptly and unforgivingly changed forever. </p><p>They made it to their target headstones, and for a few minutes they all stood quietly. Daichi couldn’t help but notice how still the cemetery was. There wasn’t even a breeze to cool their tear-stained cheeks. The stillness settled in his feet, making his body feel as heavy as lead. Kiyoko was the first to let go of his hand, stepping forward and placing the flowers on her parents’ graves. It took a while longer, but Chikara followed with the stuffed animals, and finally Tobio placed an unlit lantern between the two graves, face pensive. They stood in silence, and Daichi couldn’t even imagine what was running through their minds. He didn’t have to wonder long, though.</p><p>“Do you miss them, Dai?” Kiyoko choked out, wiping at her eyes with her hands. Her question caused his throat to constrict dangerously. </p><p>He crouched down, placing his hand on her tiny shoulder. “I miss them every day,” he said honestly. She nodded, continuing to rub her face.</p><p>“Is it okay to still love Mommy and Daddy?” Chikara asked, sitting on Daichi’s knee. Daichi wasn’t surprised by the question, as they talked about the subject often.</p><p>“You can love your Mommy and Daddy as much as you want to. They will always love you, so much, no matter what.”</p><p>“Even if we love you too?” Chikara asked, like it was a script he was following. </p><p>Like he always did, Daichi pressed a gentle kiss to the top of each kid’s head. “Love is a cup that can never overflow,” the words were familiar in his mouth. “You can love your mommy and daddy, and you can love me too. We will never be mad at you for loving us all. And we all love you.”</p><p>Chikara looked relieved. “I wish they were here,” He said, his little body leaning against Daichi’s chest. Daichi rubbed his shoulder gently.</p><p>“Me too, bud.” There was a giant, gaping hole that his sister and her husband left when they died. It threatened to swallow the four of them up all the time. And when the kids had first moved in with him, unresponsive and so, so quiet, he had resolved to fill that hole with love and laughter and family. “Did I ever tell you the story of when your mom and dad tried to make dinner for the family? It was right after they started dating, and they decided they were going to make sukiyaki. But they forgot all the right ingredients, so they tried to make it with spaghetti!” </p><p>“Spaghetti!?” Tobio squealed.</p><p>“Spaghetti,” Daichi confirmed, nodding seriously. His kids giggled wetly, asking what happened next. So Daichi told them, filling the too-silent and too-still graveyard with happy memories of those long gone.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>They slept in a pile again that night, curled around each other in Daichi's queen-sized bed. 	Daichi didn’t sleep, grasping onto the kids as tightly as he could without waking them. He couldn't help but think of his own childhood when he looked at them, with his two parents who always had time for him and no death anniversaries in cemeteries. He couldn’t help but feel completely helpless all day as his kids -- whom he wouldn’t have even known if his sister hadn’t died -- mourned the loss of their first parents. Their real parents. </p><p>It was times like that when Daichi felt horribly inadequate. Who was he to comfort them? To be called “Dad” when their real father was six feet under? He would never be enough for them. Would they always wonder what their lives would have been like if their parents were still alive? Will they hate Daichi for not being enough? Would there forever be a hole in their lives where their real parents should have fit?</p><p>Daichi slowly extracted himself from the grip of the kids, sweaty and working himself up into near hyperventilation. He grabbed his cell phone from off of the kitchen table and eased himself onto the front porch, taking huge gulps of cool air. There was one number he wished he could call, but he knew that the person he wanted to talk to wouldn’t pick up. She was the first person he called whenever anything went incredibly right or incredibly long. He got into his first bar fight? He called his sister. He got accepted into the police academy on his first try? Her number was the one he dialed. The numbers danced in his brain, just out of reach.</p><p> He took a steadying breath and typed in a different memorized cell number. One that had an owner who would answer and tell him just the right thing. One, two, three rings.</p><p>“Daichi?” Even though it was one in the morning, Iwaizumi sounded like he had just been waiting by his phone for this call. Knowing Iwa, Diachi wouldn’t be surprised. “How are the kids?” Iwa’s voice was gentle.</p><p>Daichi clenched his jaw, still catching his breath. “Today was rough,” he said. </p><p>“That’s understandable.”</p><p>“Iwa...What if I’m not enough?”</p><p>Iwaizumi was quiet for a moment. But once he spoke, it was like he had been anticipating the question. “Dai, you are everything to those kids. You’re the person who feeds them and loves them and hugs them when they’re scared. You’re like their hero. You’re the one who became their rock when everything else in their life was uncertain. Sure, you’ll never be able to replace their mom and dad, but don’t you dare think for one minute that you won’t be enough. You’re the one who came to their rescue when they needed it most, and they will never, ever forget that.”</p><p>Daichi opened his mouth to speak but found that he couldn’t, but then he realized he was choking on his sobs, and he put a hand over his mouth to try and stifle the noise. “I just...I miss her so much,” he said. </p><p>“She’d know exactly what to say,” he could see Iwa’s smile.</p><p>“She would. Thanks, Iwa,” Daichi said softly. He was starting to calm down now, his sobs coming with less frequency. “Hey, did you end up going on that date?” He asked, the last conversation with Iwa popping into his mind. Iwa had been complaining about an author at Bokuto’s bar who had been bothering him for a date or his number for the past few weeks. Last Daichi had heard, Iwa’s resolve was running thin. </p><p>Iwa laughed at the abrupt change in topic. “Actually, yes. And surprisingly, we had a nice time.”</p><p>Daichi made a lewd noise, happy for the distraction. “Will this individual be getting a second date?” He asked. </p><p>Daichi could feel Iwaizumi’s blush through the phone. “In a few days, he might be seeing me again.” </p><p>He laughed. “Well that’s great news, Iwa. I hope we get to meet him soon.” </p><p>“I have a feeling you all will get along very well,” he grumbled, but Daichi had known Iwa for nearing a decade -- he could hear the smile in his voice. </p><p>“You sound happy,” he said knowingly.</p><p>“So what if I am? You gonna do something about it?” Iwa’s voice was light and teasing.</p><p>“Might have to visit you soon and knock you down a few pegs,” Daichi smiled. </p><p>“I’d like that very much, Dai. Stay strong. And hug those kids of yours for me.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I decided to start leaving lil fun(?) facts at the end of each chapter to fill out the world a lil more. The facts are just things that I thought enhance the characters or i thought would be fun to know! (this week they're all about Dai since this is a very Dai/kids-centric chapter</p><p>--Daichi cries a lot since having kids, but the first time they ever saw him cry was when Tobio called him “Daddy” for the first time.<br/>--Daichi tried really hard to learn how to braid hair for Kiyoko, but she took pity on him and told him she doesn’t like braids (a blatant lie)<br/>--Daichi’s mom has Alzheimer’s (was alluded to in ch 2) and he does mind puzzles every night before bed and during his lunch breaks because he knows his risk is higher than the average person</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>  <em>Next time: Alcohol and crushes!</em></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Wait....is Suga actually kinda cute??????</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>hey! it's officially my summer break, which means that I have no patience and am updating early (as per usual).<br/>So i'm almost done writing this, atm i have 9 chapters (with 9 still a wip and an additional epilogue), however chapter 9 is turning into a marathon so we might end up with 10 chapters + epilogue. i guess we'll see.</p><p>aanyways this chapter doesn't have the kids in it (a kid fic w/ no kids??? :o wild) so i wanted to be upfront b4 yall got to reading and were like: no tobio-chan??????? (bc damn yall love kid tobio, no matter the fic)</p><p>thank you all so much for the support! un-beta'd.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>..</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Daichi entered the bar, immediately assaulted by the sharp smell of alcohol and the lull of rock music. He waited for his eyes to adjust to the low lighting, but he heard someone call out to him.</p><p>"Daichi!! Man, we thought you'd never show up!" Kuroo yelled from their usual corner of the bar. Daichi grinned, at ease hearing his friend's voice. </p><p>"Leave 'im alone," Akaashi laughed as Daichi approached the table. "He has actual responsibilities, unlike some of us."</p><p>"Hey!" Kuroo complained, smacking Akaashi on the back of the head. “I have actual responsibilities.” </p><p>“Then why aren’t you doing them?” Bokuto flung ice at him from across the bar. “Get your ass back here and help us. The front is getting busy.” Kuroo stuck his tongue out at Bokuto but did as he said anyway, hopping the bar just to spite his co-owner. “I fucking hate you,” Bokuto grumbled. </p><p>Kuroo just shot him a smile from over his shoulder and helped some new arrivals, pouring their drinks. </p><p>“When the hell is Iwaizumi getting here? I want to officially meet his luvvah,” Bokuto said, exaggerating the last word for emphasis. </p><p>“Didn’t you and Kuroo already meet him? They literally met at this bar,” Asahi squinted at him, and the rest of them laughed. </p><p>“I don’t pay attention to Iwa when he drinks his sorrows away here! Besides, I don’t work the day drinking shift. Makes me sad to see sad people,” Bokuto shrugged.</p><p>“Just be lucky we get to meet him all at,” Daichi said, taking a sip of the cold beer Akaashi slid him. “Iwa isn’t very forthcoming about his love life.” </p><p>“He’s also bringing a few of his ‘luvvah’s’ friends,” Akaashi said, adding air quotes to Bokuto’s word. “Which is probably a good call. Wouldn’t want to overwhelm his boyfriend with a ton of strangers.” </p><p>"Especially if they're us," Daichi added under his breath, earning a smack on the bicep from Kuroo, who had travelled back to the back of the bar.</p><p>“Speaking of a ton of strangers,” Asahi looked pointedly towards the door, where a group of five walked through the door, being led by Iwaizumi. He didn’t even have to look around, just started leading his troupe towards their back table. Daichi was focused on Iwa’s face, which was getting progressively paler as he got closer to them. </p><p>“Hey, guys,” he said when he was close enough. “This is Oikawa,” he brandished his arm at the man standing next to him. The guy was tall, with nice auburnish hair and mischievous eyes. He looked like trouble, and from experience, Daichi knew that Iwa loved trouble. </p><p>“Oikawa Tooru, to be precise. So nice to meet you all,” the man’s eyes glinted and he took hold of Iwa’s hand. “Iwa-chan talks about you all the time,” he said. </p><p>“Iwa-chan?” Kuroo shoved Bokuto’s arm, only a few seconds away from breaking down into a laughing fit. Iwa would never live it down.</p><p>“Sawamura Daichi, please call me Daichi,” he held out his hand to Oikawa, knowing that the rest of his friends would follow his example. </p><p>“So you’re the best friend,” Oikawa looked at him with interest alight in his eyes. Daichi cleared his throat uncomfortably. </p><p>“Asahi Azumane,” Asahi burst in like a guardian angel, sticking out his hand. The introductions continued, and Daichi’s eyes wandered to the rest of the group, surprised when he saw a familiar shock of silver hair.</p><p>“Suga-sensei,” he said pleasantly, truly happy to see the man again after their previous encounters outside of the school.</p><p>“Hello, Daichi-san,” Suga smiled back. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here. How are you?”</p><p>Around them, Daichi could vaguely hear more introductions happening, but Suga’s smile was all his brain could focus on. “I’m very well, thanks. Yourself?” </p><p>Suga’s grin widened. Daichi noticed that the man had shallow dimples, barely visible in the low lighting of the bar, his face much too cute to belong to a grown man. “I’m hoping that Tooru and Iwaizumi can refrain from getting engaged within the next six months,” he raised his voice at the end of the sentence, sending a pointed look at Oikawa.</p><p>The other man turned at the change in volume, shooting Suga a wicked grin. “If you think you can stop me from marrying this man whenever I want to, think again,” he said sharply, cupping his hand on the back of an unsuspecting Iwa as he played with the soft hairs on the back of Iwa’s neck.</p><p>Suga just rolled his eyes, looking back at Daichi. “For context, I’m currently planning Tsukishima and Yamaguchi’s wedding,” he pointed a thumb at a tall man with glasses and a freckled man with wild hair who were standing much nearer to the bar than him and Suga were, “and Tooru knows how stressful it's been, so he’s been threatening to marry Iwaizumi whenever he gets upset with me.”</p><p>Daichi listened with growing confusion and amusement, and apparently it showed on his face, as Suga gaped and hit him lightly on the arm. “You’re not allowed to enjoy my pain!” </p><p>Daichi hid his smile behind his beer, sipping it serenely. “I get no joy from your pain, Suga-sensei. I’m merely amused by your story.” </p><p>“Oooh, Diachi turned on his Mr. Detective voice!” Kuroo teased, coming up to their side of the table and offering Daichi and Suga more beer. They both gladly accepted. Kuroo leaned closer to Suga. “That’s how you know he’s being an asshole. I promise, he’s reveling in your pain.”</p><p>“Kuroo!” Daichi said, gasping. “I am doing no such thing. I am an adult and a professional.”</p><p>“Professional dumbass!” Kuroo yelped, narrowly missing Daichi’s playful punch as he ran away. Daichi was definitely starting to feel the alcohol.</p><p>“Is it just me,” he started, “or does your tolerance go down once you have kids?”</p><p>Suga just shrugged, taking a long pull from his bottle. Daichi didn’t miss the length of his neck and the bobbing of his Adam’s apple. “Being a teacher increases your tolerance, I wouldn’t know about the actual act of being a parent.”</p><p>“I mean, you’re kind of like a parent. When I can’t be there for my kids, you turn into their temporary parent.”</p><p>“I suppose,” Suga said, smiling. He was doing that a lot tonight. Not that Daichi minded….but it was very distracting. “But it is nice to know that they’re your responsibility again once they leave my care.”</p><p>Daichi nodded. “True. It’s stressful caring so much about another living being, let alone three.” He paused to take a drink. “You make it easy to leave them, though. My sons adore you. And I think if Kiyoko were fifteen years older, she and Takeda-sensei would be best friends.”</p><p>Suga’s cheeks flushed at the praise. “Well, I give them sweets and nap time. It’s not too hard to get kindergarteners to adore you.” </p><p>“Don’t be so modest,” Daichi waved his hand around airily. “I think my kids would learn how to commit murder for you.” Daichi scrunched up his face. “But then, of course, I’d have to arrest them. That would be sad.” </p><p>Suga burst into giggles. “Daichi, are you drunk?” </p><p>He thought about it for a moment. “Maybe? I did have four beers in a short moment of time? Amount of time?” He thought for a moment. “Yes, amount of time.”</p><p>Suga laughed again, but it didn’t make Daichi feel self-conscious. He actually felt...warm. Like he and Suga were in on a joke that nobody else had the pleasure of knowing. “Where are your kids tonight?” Suga asked.</p><p>“Called one of Bokuto’s exes. She’s a nanny, and my regular babysitter. Lovely girl,” he hummed. </p><p>Suga laughed, like he wasn’t expecting an answer like that. “Well, since you shared your sons’ feelings for me, it’s only fair for me to tell you that I love your sons too. And I can tell that they love you very much,” Suga said.</p><p>“I love my kids more than anything in the world,” Daichi said faithfully, meaning every word. </p><p>“I believe it,” Suga said. Daichi wasn't sure how long they sat smiling at each other, but he jolted when his cell phone started ringing and buzzing in his pocket. He slid it out and smiled apologetically. </p><p>“I have to take this,” he started, but Suga just waved him off, letting him know it was okay. Daichi slid from his seat and walked even further into the back of the bar, near the door labeled <em>Employees Only. </em>“Sawamura,” he answered. </p><p>“Oi, we need you at the station. We got a huge break in your predator case, we have to move now, and Shirofuku’s ready to chat with the bastard online.”</p><p>Daichi’s mind raced to catch up with the speaker. “Ushijima?” He asked, rubbing at his face.</p><p>“Um, yes? Did you not hear me? Once-in-a-lifetime break. In. The. Case.” He emphasized each word.</p><p>“Right, right,” Daichi said. “Uh, Ushijima? I’m drunk.”</p><p>“Fucking hell, Sawamura. At this point, I don’t care. You still know more about this case than anyone and we need your ass at the station. Can you be here in the next thirty minutes?”</p><p>Daichi nodded, then realized his coworker couldn’t see him. “Uh, yeah. I’ll be there soon.”</p><p>“Good. Don't drive. God, Daichi,” Ushijima swore again before he hung up, but Daichi wasn’t too bothered by it. It was supposed to be his night off, after all, so Ushijima couldn't be too mad.</p><p>“Is everything okay?” Suga asked as Daichi walked back towards the small party. </p><p>“I have to go into work,” he said, pulling up a rideshare app on his phone. “Fuck.” The nearest car was almost ten minutes away. </p><p>“Right now? Dai, you aren’t exactly what the kids these days call sober,” Kuroo slung his arm around his friend’s shoulder. Daichi shrugged him off, trying to find the number to call for a taxi. </p><p>“It’s important, Kuroo,” he grumbled, then turned away to request a taxi from the bar to the police station. They told him three minutes, and he hung up with a sigh of relief. “Can I borrow your tie?” He asked Iwaizumi, who looked absolutely mortified at the thought. However, Oikawa immediately started loosening the tie from his boyfriend’s neck, passing it over to Daichi.</p><p>“I’ve been wanting to see your collarbone all night, Iwa-chan,” he murmured, loud enough for Daichi to hear and gag at, in Iwa’s ear. </p><p>Daichi struggled momentarily getting his buttons done all the way up, then tried to get the tie around his neck without strangling himself. He startled when he felt hands on his, and he looked up to see Suga trying to aid him. “Here, let me get it,” he said softly, and Daichi watched Suga’s face carefully as the teacher tied the tie, his eyes focused and tongue slightly sticking out between his lips in concentration. He tightened it gently, straightening it a little before smoothing his palm down its length, smiling contently. “There, all fixed.” </p><p>“Thanks,” Daichi breathed out, his entire body thrumming with the heat of Suga's close proximity. He looked up and saw the taxi waiting for him. “Shit! Bye everyone, Oikawa it was nice to meet you let’s do it again sometime!” </p><p>Once he was safely in the taxi, he texted his sitter, sighing with relief when she said she didn’t mind staying with the kids until whenever Daichi managed to get home. He’d have to make sure to give her something extra on top of the overtime. Now all he needed to do was drink a huge coffee, catch a predator in action, and get Suga’s smile out of his head long enough to complete items one and two. </p><p>Easier said than done. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Tooru was practicing his spaghetti-making skills in Suga’s apartment as a prelude to his date with Iwaizumi when Suga walked in, back from the long weekly meeting with the principal. </p><p>“Hello, love,” Tooru called to him. “Come in here and try this spaghetti!” </p><p>Suga sighed, as if eating free, pre-prepared food was an inconvenience, and took off his shoes and light jacket before making his way into the kitchen. The slowly cooling weather was only another indication that the wedding was drawing nearer, as if Suga needed more reminders than his apartment being an absolute shrine to weddings. He had centerpieces littering his living room floor, pictures of floral arrangements and catered meals in his kitchen, and stacks of rented tablecloth samples piled by the door. It was as if Yamaguchi and Tsukishima’s wedding had thrown up all over his house. Not for the first time, he prayed for October 18th to be done and over with. Another month to go.</p><p>“Sit right there,” Tooru pointed to the island, where Suga had two wooden stools set up that overlooked the kitchen. He busied himself finishing up the sauce as Suga watched, chin in his hand. “So I’d say the other night at the bar was a success, wouldn’t you?” Tooru said, not even looking at Suga.</p><p>Suga hummed in agreement. “He seems really nice, Tooru,” he said. </p><p>Oikawa beamed. “And don’t think I didn’t notice that thing between you and the detective,” he said slyly. </p><p>Suga fought to hold back a blush. “I just have his kids in my class, that’s all.”</p><p>“That’s all, hm?” Suga could see that Oikawa had just been waiting to bombard him all day about his interaction with the mild-mannered detective. </p><p>“Fine. Go ahead, ask what you want to. I know you’re dying to tease me about it.”</p><p>“Oh, Suga-san, you do know me!” He abandoned the sauce where it simmered and placed his face in his hands, elbows resting on the bar across from Suga. “He’s a real hunk, is he not?” Suga rolled his eyes. So that’s how this conversation was going to go. “I mean, Iwa-chan told me his friends were attractive, but I for one was not ready for the pure Daddy vibes coming off of Detective Sawamura, if you know what I mean,” Tooru bounced his eyebrows, and Suga bit back a groan. “And think about it. Detective Sawamura. You gotta admit, that’s pretty hot. And did you see his ass in those slacks?” Suga had, indeed. And what a nice ass it was. “I swear, Suga-chan, if I were not a taken man I would take Mr. Detective right where he stood, as long as he promised to let me put my head between his thick thighs--”</p><p>“Oikawa!!” Suga yelled, embarrassed not only for himself but for his friend’s shamelessness. </p><p>“What?” Tooru said, breaking out of his daydream. “I’m just saying. He’s a very attractive man. And when he took charge and introduced himself? I’d want to know how that translates to--”</p><p>“Okay! That’s enough. No more, for the love of god,” he glared up at the wide smile. </p><p>“You’re blushing like a virgin, Suga-chan!” </p><p>And Suga thought he couldn’t hate his friend any more. Tooru just shrugged and returned to his spaghetti. “I thought you were a sucker for the whole tragic backstory thing.”</p><p>Suga paused. Tragic backstory? No, no. He was not going to give in. Tooru was obviously baiting him, trying to get him to inquire further. He was stronger than that. Probably. But…</p><p>“Fine, I’ll bite. What are you talking about?” Suga asked, a huge sigh escaping from his lips.</p><p>Tooru grinned stupidly. “You sure you want to know?” He sobered immediately. “It’s actually pretty sad.”</p><p>“Well you said tragic backstory. I wasn’t expecting a feel-good story. Does it have something to do with the fact that the kids are his sister’s?” </p><p>Tooru grimaced, turning back to the pasta. He scooped some noodles from the pot into one of Suga’s bowls. “It kind of has everything to do with that.” He whirled on Suga, brandishing the spaghetti fork like a wand. “I don’t know if I’m supposed to say anything, but Iwa never told me <em>not</em> to tell anyone. So don’t go skipping around yelling Sawamura-san’s business to the world.” </p><p>Suga made a cross over his heart with his finger. He felt a little guilty about prying into Daichi’s personal life without him present, but Suga was pretty good at justifying this kind of stuff to himself. This time, he figured that he would be able to support the kids better if he knew. Maybe it wasn’t the truth, but it was what kept him from feeling too much guilt. Plus, it might explain that day about a week ago when Daichi had pulled his kids out of school early and Chikara had cried during class.</p><p>“So anyways, apparently two years ago, Sawamura’s younger sister and her husband were killed in a home invasion.” Tooru’s voice had lost all of its usual humor, underlining how serious he thought the information was. “The kids were in the house, but the killers didn’t touch them, and Iwa said they didn’t see anything. And when Sawamura heard about it, he immediately took custody of the kids even though they weren’t close.</p><p>"Iwaizumi was so sad when he talked about it," Tooru continued, looking lost in the memory. "He said that Sawamura would call him every day. The kids would have nonstop nightmares. None of them were sleeping. Iwa-chan said it was really bad. Sawamura didn’t go back to work for three months. Can you even imagine?” </p><p>No, he really couldn’t. He couldn’t even imagine Daichi, two years younger and less wise, with three kids thrust upon him after an unimaginable tragedy. He couldn’t imagine the loss that Kiyoko, Tobio, and Chikara had gone through, the confusion of leaving their home to live with an unfamiliar uncle. His heart broke for the little family, but beyond that, it swelled with pride for them. Going from complete strangers to a family that was obviously filled with love and laughter...that was an incredible feat. </p><p>Suga groaned. “Not only is he the cutest grown man I’ve ever met, but he’s actually a really good person as well?” He put his head in his hands. “I never stood a chance.”</p><p>“He’s also hot like burning. And is super cute when he blushes. And is a lightweight, which is very endearing,” Oikawa teased him.</p><p>“How do you know all of this about the family?” Suga couldn’t stop from asking. </p><p>“It was accidental. Iwa and I were...familiarizing ourselves with unfamiliar anatomy--”</p><p>“God, just say you were fucking, your analogies make it sound grosser,” Suga cut in.</p><p>“Fine! We were <em>fucking,</em> and Iwa gets a call from Sawamura, and he’s all sad and Iwa’s all bummed out too and when he hung up he needed some...comfort. So I, like the good boyfriend I am, provided. And then it just kind of spilled out of him. It didn't make for great pillow talk." Tooru stood in quiet contemplation for a moment. "But I think he worries about Sawamura a lot."</p><p>"Iwaizumi seems like a really good friend. I'm glad you've found someone worthy of the great Oikawa Tooru," Suga smiled softly.</p><p>Tooru hopped on the counter, sticking his face in Suga’s and poking it with his finger to get a smile. "Oi! You always get soft when I tell you sad things. I'm sure that with a little Suga, Sawamura will be just fine." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. </p><p>Suga shoved him off the counter.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Everyone’s catching the crushes!! I feel like Oprah. You have a crush, you have a crush, you have a crush!!! EVERYONE HAVE A CRUSH!</p><p>Fun Facts:<br/>--Suga loves kids but absolutely abhors babies/infants. For him, toddler is when it starts getting fun<br/>--Daichi is the first person his friends bring new people to meet because he’s such a good judge of character (must be the whole detective thing)<br/>--The only reason Suga is planning a wedding is because I wanted to give him something to do that wasn’t just teaching or having a cat, and I had recently read a cute wedding planner Daisuga fic right b4 starting this one</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>  <em>Next week...a birthday or two! And a surprising amount of angst? Not intentional, but that’s where I’m at rn I guess.</em></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Update on the rest of the fic: i have finally reached the end of writing this! Which is good news, since the rest will be posted in the upcoming weeks. I have also moved to a modified schedule in which I post a chapter every 2 days or so because (as I’m sure you all know by now) I am incredibly impatient. We’ll be finishing this out with 10 chapters and 1 epilogue. Exciting!!!</p>
<p>So Tobio’s canon bday is Dec 22 and Chikara’s is Dec 26, so I just moved their birthdays up a few months, to September 22 and 26, for plot purposes. Who doesn’t love a birthday party?</p>
<p>This chapter ended up a lot more angsty than I meant for it to? Super sorry about that one. Un-beta'd!!</p>
<p>TW: panic attack, more info in the end notes if you need it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Suga-sensei!” Suga heard the familiar voice of one of his students, and he turned to see an enthusiastic Chikara sprinting towards him, a shocked Daichi behind him, arm outstretched, looking like Chikara had just ripped away from his grasp. </p>
<p>The father of three looked good, with casual clothes like he wore to the bar exactly one week ago. Daichi jogged over, shopping cart and other kids in tow, as Chikara talked his ear off. “--could have a lot of balloons at our party, do you like balloons, Suga-sensei? And Dad said we could have both chocolate and vanilla cake since Tobio liked chocolate and I like vanilla but Kiyoko said she doesn’t mind either--”</p>
<p>“Chika, sweetheart,” Daichi cut in, smiling at his son, “Did you even greet your teacher?”</p>
<p>Chikara beamed up at Suga. “Hi Sensei!” He chirped. Suga tried not to laugh at the exasperated look on Daichi’s face. Judging by the other man’s pinched reaction, he failed. “Can we invite Sensei to the party?” Chikara asked, bouncing on his toes.</p>
<p>“I suppose so,” Daichi said warmly. “But it’s very late notice and you can’t be sad if he’s too busy.”</p>
<p>“I won’t!” Chikara turned back to Suga. “Suga-sensei, will you come to me and Tobio’s birthday party?” </p>
<p>“It’s tomorrow at five,” Daichi cut in helpfully. “No pressure, we get that it’s last minute.”</p>
<p>Suga ran through his mental schedule of events for the day and figured he could get an earlier time with the baker so he wouldn’t show up too late to the party. No big deal. He smiled down at Chikara, unable to be the cause of a frown on that small face. “I would absolutely love to come to your birthday party.” Both Chikara and Tobio cheered, drawing the attention of other shoppers. Daichi didn’t look too worried about it, and Suga figured he was used to the three kids being fairly loud. </p>
<p>“Here,” Daichi stepped forward and handed Suga his phone. “If you don’t mind putting your number in there, I could text you the address?” </p>
<p>Suga felt warm as he carefully typed in his contact information, and when he looked up to hand it back to Daichi, the other man’s ears were tinged pink. Suga swallowed a comment about him being absolutely adorable. </p>
<p>“Suga-sensei’s coming to our birthday party!” Chikara was still celebrating, and even little Tobio had a small, satisfied smile on his face. </p>
<p>“There won’t be a party if we don’t finish shopping for all of the supplies,” Daichi said patiently, and that was enough to shock Chikara and Tobio into motion.</p>
<p>“Bye Suga-sensei, see you tomorrow! C’mon Daddy, we gotta get the plates!” Chikara tugged on his dad’s sleeve, and Suga couldn’t hide his amusement at Daichi’s tired grin. </p>
<p>“Bye, Suga-san. See you tomorrow,” he said warmly as his kids dragged him away. Suga watched them go with a twinkle in his eye. The Sawamuras had that effect. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Kiyoko, honey? Can you please stop singing Frozen? I can’t stand it one more time,” Daichi begged his eldest child, almost in tears as he decorated the cake on the kitchen table. Frosting was smeared all over the counter top and from his peripheral Daichi could see a bit of it in his hair, which meant that there was probably a lot more than what he had noticed.</p>
<p>Kiyoko pouted, visibly upset as she ran back into the hallways with all of their bedrooms.</p>
<p>“Daddy made Kiyoko cry!” Was the next thing he heard, and he groaned, putting down the pipet he was using to add more frosting to the cake. He knew he shouldn’t have bad-mouthed Elsa.</p>
<p>He made his way through the house and to Kiyoko’s room, which was decorated a pale yellow and had very few toys scattered around it. She was a fairly neat child for six years old. Kiyoko was sitting in the middle of her bed, knees pulled up to her chest as she wiped tears from her eyes. Chikara was sitting next to her, his little arms around her and his face screwed up into the scariest glare he could manage, which honestly just looked cute with his big eyes and round face.</p>
<p>“Can I come in?” Daichi asked.</p>
<p>“You’re not allowed,” Chikara said firmly, his protectiveness evident. </p>
<p>“I just came to apologize. Can I do that?” </p>
<p>Chikara looked a little less unsure at the reasonable request, and he put his face next to Kiyoko’s. She nodded, tears still slipping down her face. Daichi took that as an invitation and he walked into the room, slowly easing himself beside Kiyoko on the bed. She still kept her knees hugged tightly to her chest but she didn’t move away. </p>
<p>“I’m sorry honey. I’m just a little stressed, and I shouldn’t have yelled. I’m not upset at you at all,” he said gently, careful to not touch her more than keeping his body pressed next to hers. He kept his hands interlocked around his knees, mirroring her position. </p>
<p>“You’re not?” She asked as she looked over at him. </p>
<p>He shook his head. “No. I’m not.”</p>
<p>“Then why did you yell?” Her voice was still a little watery, but she looked more curious now. </p>
<p>“Well, I’ve listened to Frozen a lot recently. I was hoping you would find another movie, Hans is getting on my last nerve,” he said. </p>
<p>Kiyoko giggled weakly. “Your last nerve?” He nodded sagely. Then she did something she had never done before: she reached up and poked his skull, smashing her finger into his hair. “Is this your last nerve?” He looked at her oddly, shaking his head. Her face was still pink from crying, but the tears had faded. “Is this your last nerve?” She poked another spot. </p>
<p>Chikara caught on quickly, crawling over his sister to start poking at Daichi’s head. “Is this your last nerve?” He asked, mimicking his sister. Daichi laughed confusedly, batting at their hands. They kept poking at his head until they were all in stitches on Kiyoko’s bed, Daichi holding their hands down so they would stop poking him, and Chika and Kiyoko trying in vain to release their hands from his grasp. </p>
<p>“What’s going on?” Tobio asked from the doorway. He was rubbing at his eye, freshly awoken from an impromptu nap. </p>
<p>“We’re trying to find Daddy’s last nerve!” Chikara giggled, using the distraction to free his left hand and shoot it towards Daichi’s head, demonstrating the new game. </p>
<p>Daichi would have to go back to the cake soon, before the frosting decided to melt, but for now he’d let his apology go forgiven.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Suga had no right to look so pretty one hour into the party.</em> Daichi wiped the thought away as soon as it occurred to him, returning his focus to lighting the candles on the cake. Suga had arrived right as the party was starting, and had immediately become a godsend. His familiarity and easiness around the kids helped keep them calm. Daichi had set up the backyard so that the kids could run and play to their hearts’ content, with the other parents, Kuroo, and Akaashi supervising. And Suga, like the literal superhuman he was, was just playing and laughing with the kids on the grass, uncaring about his wrinkling clothes and his messy hair. Daichi wished he had endless energy like that. </p>
<p>Chikara and Tobio seemed like they were having the times of their lives. Chikara had what seemed like a small posse, led by Ryuu Tanaka but backed up by Kinoshita and Narita, two quiet boys who seemed like great influences until Ryuu roped them into one of his plans. Surprisingly, it seemed like Chikara was a calming source for the group, which amused Daichi to no end: his hyperactive, friendly child was actually the rational one in his group of friends. It made Daichi wince to think about that group when they got old enough to cause actual trouble. He was sure he’d be able to thank them for more than a few sleepless nights. </p>
<p>Tobio was in his prime, clutching onto the hand of the tiny red-haired boy from his kindergarten class and letting himself be dragged from one end of the party to another. The red-haired boy seemed to be friends with everyone at the party, even Kiyoko and her quiet friend, Yachi, but he never let go of Tobio’s hand. Daichi hadn’t been introduced, but he figured that that was the infamous “Shouyou” that Tobio was always rambling about. Tobio was a little tall for his age, but next to Shouyou he was a giant, which was comical to see. They couldn’t be more different: if Tobio was the moon, Shouyou was the sun. They looked beyond adorable walking around with their hands interlocked, yelling to each other for communication despite their close proximity.</p>
<p>Daichi lit the rest of the candles and decided to just go for it. “Cake!” He screamed out into the yard, and the kids came spilling into the living room, where Daichi had two chairs and the kitchen table set up for the birthday boys. </p>
<p>Chikara and Tobio took their seats, and Daichi placed the cake in front of them, six candles in front of Chika and five in front of Tobio. Chikara’s birthday wasn’t for another week, and Tobio’s was a week after that, but this was the compromise they came up with, since they both wanted to celebrate on their birthday weekends. The weekend before seemed like the best option. </p>
<p>A rendition of the happy birthday song was screamed, every kid trying to be louder than the others (with Tanaka being the obvious winner). Daichi’s eyes kept finding Suga’s throughout the song, and then the teacher would smile through his singing, shrugging as he raised his voice with every word. </p>
<p>Daichi turned back to his sons, watching as they blew out their candles, twin looks of elation on their faces. Well, kind of. Chikara’s was a little more outward. But Tobio was just as excited -- Daichi could tell by his sharp little exhale, like he couldn’t believe this party was for him. Daichi sliced the cake, finding it a little harder to breathe than usual, trying to find solace in the happiness of his boys. A whole day older. Except symbolically, it was a year. They were a whole year older. His little boys weren’t so little, and soon they would be growing old enough to hate him and fight with him and start families of their own without--</p>
<p>Daichi jolted at the sudden feeling of someone’s hand on his, and he looked up to see Suga standing next to him, hand over the one holding the knife. “I think we need some napkins,” he said gently, taking the knife. Daichi gave him a grateful smile and disappeared into the kitchen, upset without really knowing why. Maybe it was because he had never been good with passing time. He hated looking back at pictures and going to old places because of the overwhelming nostalgia that followed. </p>
<p>Or maybe he was minutes away from tears because he wished his sister was here. He couldn’t stop thinking about how unfair it was that Chikara and Tobio and Kiyoko and he got to grow another year older while his sister and her husband didn’t even get another minute. The grief crippled him as he stood motionless in his kitchen. </p>
<p>He might have been there for hours when Suga walked it, eyes soft and mouth concerned. He didn’t say anything at first, just stood next to where Daichi was leaning hard against the counter with both of his hands braced on it, head bent low and spine arched into the air. “Did everyone get cake?” Daichi managed, swallowing hard.</p>
<p>“Everyone except you,” Suga said, and when Daichi dared to look up, Suga was holding a piece of cake on a plate, a fork balanced perfectly on the side. Daichi let out a watery laugh, wiping at his face with his hand. </p>
<p>“Shit. I gotta get back out there.” He straightened up. It felt like he was scaling a mountain.</p>
<p>“You can stay here a few more minutes,” Suga suggested, placing the cake on the counter beside him. “Pull yourself together a little bit more.”</p>
<p>“That bad, huh?” Daichi asked, smiling bitterly and deflating.</p>
<p>“Not really. You just look like you could use a minute.”</p>
<p>Daichi leaned against the counter again, holding in his breath and then letting it out into the kitchen. “Thanks for taking over the cake cutting.”</p>
<p>Suga shrugged, like it was nothing. “Like I said. Looked like you could use a minute.” Silence. “You wanna talk about it?” </p>
<p>Daichi could feel the fear of the day grabbing at his heart, the grief slowly filling his stomach like sand. “I don’t even know what it is,” he confessed. Another emotion invaded his mind, settling right beneath his eyes. It was hot and burning, relentless.<em> Shame. </em></p>
<p>Suga shrugged again, like it wasn’t a big deal that Daichi couldn’t pull himself together. Like he didn’t have two kids in his backyard waiting for him to celebrate with them, to take pictures of their beautiful day and show them when they were older. Suga’s next words startled him. “Do you have anxiety attacks often?”</p>
<p>“Do I...what?” </p>
<p>Suga didn't touch him, but he did move closer. “I’ve been a kindergarten teacher for five years, I know a panic attack when I see one.”</p>
<p>Oh. “Sometimes I think I might suffocate,” he said suddenly. “Like I’m wearing a coat, and sometimes it’s warm and wonderful, but then it turns into dirt. And it smothers me as it tries to fill the hole I have inside.” Daichi’s voice was devoid of its usual excitement. He missed holding his kids in his arms. </p>
<p>“Don’t you think there are better things to fill that hole with?” Suga asked quietly. </p>
<p>Daichi nodded slowly, feeling the overwhelming need to change the subject. He swallowed thickly. “Thanks, Suga. For everything. I don’t know what I would have done if my kids didn’t find even a sliver of the joy that you bring into their lives. Kiyoko, I don’t worry about as much. She’s so good at telling me her feelings when she needs to. But Chikara and Tobio...they both had a rough go of it these past few months.”</p>
<p>“Is that why Chikara isn’t in first grade?” Suga asked.</p>
<p>Daichi nodded. “The school said he wasn’t ready to move on. And after the last few years we’ve had, I can’t blame him. He’ll just be a little older than his peers. That’s all.” </p>
<p>More silence. It was a little heavy, but not awkward. Daichi was grateful for Suga’s calming presence, despite the huge lump forming in his throat. “Are you ready to go back out there?” </p>
<p>“If I could just take off this damn coat,” he whispered. </p>
<p>Suga placed his hand on Daichi’s shoulder and squeezed. “It’s getting cold. You’re allowed to keep the coat on a little longer. But I promise, a day will come when it no longer weighs on your shoulders.”</p>
<p>Daichi looked at the teacher, grateful. In his mind he was already running through all of the ways he could possibly pay him back. None of them seemed like enough. “Yeah,” he said. “It will.”</p>
<p>.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>TW: Daichi gets overwhelmed during the party and has a panic attack. His attacks are not graphic, he’s more of the “freezes up and suffers in silence” panicker, if that makes any difference.</p>
<p> FUN FACTS:</p>
<p>- As cute as it would’ve been to have the family’s birthdays be on December 22, 26, 31, and Jan 6 (winter babies ftw!!!!) i couldnt help but write a party scene. Mostly bc i needed Dai to fall further in like with Suga and this was my favorite way to do it.</p>
<p>- Daichi can’t eat ice cream without thinking of the kids. It’s gotten to the point where he can’t eat it without them bc he gets sad and misses them.</p>
<p>- Suga has been known to talk someone off the ledge in under three sentences</p>
<p> </p>
<p>  <em>Next time...pillow fights, bad days, and Suga’s secret talent FLEXED once again!</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>(Also, before you go...I’m already itching to write more with Daichi and Suga, and I'd love some input. I’m considering writing either a Daisuga Fullmetal Alchemist AU or Kekkai Sensen (BBB) AU, so lmk if either of those pique your interest!)</em>
</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>You all are so unbelievably kind and supportive! Thank you so much. </p>
<p>
  <strong>TW: Semi-graphic depictions of a deceased child. Comes with the territory, sorry, but I’ll add “~” symbols before and after that scene (it’s only a few paragraphs in the chapter, but not super important for plot purposes I suppose, if you could say that this has any plot lol). The rest of the scene is still readable. </strong>
</p>
<p>Un-beta'd, as per usual!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There was a knock at their door, and Daichi sprinted to get it before he was pummeled again. “Hello?” He asked as he wrenched the door open, and was greeted by a pleasant-looking Suga. “Oh, hi!” He said, barely able to get the words out before a pillow made a dull thwack as it collided with the back of his head. “Excuse me for a moment?” Daichi asked sheepishly. “Please, come in and make yourself comfortable.”</p>
<p>Daichi didn’t want to know what the expression on Suga’s face was as he turned around and snatched the pillow from off the ground, running back into the living room. “Oh ho, you thought you got me, didn’t you!?” He cried, advancing on his kids, who were all giggling from numerous spots in the living room. Kiyoko stood on the couch, one foot propped on the back, one cemented in between the cushions; Chikara hovered near the TV, hoping he could use that as a reason not to be targeted, but was also sparing quick glances at the nearby hallway that led to the bedrooms; and Tobio stood near the back glass sliding door, looking regretful that he didn’t have the strength to open it with any sort of quickness. </p>
<p>Before Daichi could pick a target, Kiyoko cried out, <em>“Charge!!” </em>And the kids descended upon him, pillows in their grasps and smiles on their faces. </p>
<p>“Oh, no you don’t!” Daichi retaliated by lifting Tobio into the air, causing him to squeal with alarm and delight. </p>
<p>“He’s got Tobio!” Chikara pointed, eyes wide as he looked to his sister for instruction. </p>
<p>“We must go on!” She yelled after a moment of hesitation.</p>
<p>“Are you sure about that? You may never get your brother back again...from the Tickle Monster!” Daichi yelled, throwing Tobio onto the couch and tickling him silly. </p>
<p>“No! N-no!” He gasped, giggling like crazy. </p>
<p>“We have to save him!” Chikara yelled, running at Daichi with a pillow over his head. </p>
<p>“Oh yeah?!” Daichi laughed, turning from Tobio to grab Chikara, throwing him down beside his little brother. “I got you, too!” He yelled, tickling them with one hand each. </p>
<p>“Dai! Let them go!” Kiyoko shouted, a laugh tinging her voice. </p>
<p>“Dai? Who’s Dai? I’m the Tickle Monster!” He thundered, grabbing her and adding her to his couch collection, tickling them all. But his lack of a third hand came back to bite him when Kiyoko overpowered him, jumping on him with Chikara and Tobio joining her. They had him pinned to the ground, tickling him back, and he roared with laughter, grabbing at them and trying to get them back. </p>
<p>“Okay, okay! Truce!!” He yelled, still laughing, and they all fell back, exhausted.</p>
<p>“You’re the worst at tickling, Dad,” Chikara goaded.</p>
<p>“No, you are,” Daichi said immaturely, sticking his tongue out at his almost-six-year-old son. </p>
<p>“Who’s the child here?” Suga asked lightly from his vantage point between the foyer and the living room, and the kids jumped up at the reminder that he was there. </p>
<p>“Suga-sensei!” Chikara yelled, going in for a hug. Suga laughed and hugged the boys, smiling kindly at Kiyoko when she stood back a bit, giving him a little wave. </p>
<p>“Sorry, Sensei. Had to settle a score,” Daichi said lightly, ruffling the hair on Kiyoko’s head. She side-eyed him and tried to fix it. </p>
<p>Daichi thought he saw a flicker of sadness in the other man’s eyes, but when he blinked it disappeared. “That’s alright, I understand the importance of tickle fights,” he said with the most serious face he could muster. </p>
<p>“Glad you understand,” Daichi laughed. “What can we do for you, Sensei?” He asked. </p>
<p>“I uh, think I left my jacket here? I didn’t want to bother you at the school over it,” the teacher said.</p>
<p>“Green with bronze zippers?” Daichi asked, already moving into the kitchen to grab it from the table.</p>
<p>“That’s the one,” Suga followed, trying not to trip on the kids, who were also trooping to the kitchen. </p>
<p>“We were about to have dinner, care to join us while you're here?” Daichi asked, not even thinking. He realized that asking the teacher to stay for dinner was maybe a bit inappropriate, and he fought the blush rising to his cheeks. “I mean, I’d really like to say thank you. For the party.” They shared a significant look. </p>
<p>Suga opened his mouth, maybe to decline, when Chikara grabbed the teacher’s hand. “You’re having dinner with us!?”</p>
<p>“Tonight is good,” Kiyoko piped up. “Dai made white stew.”</p>
<p>“Are some nights not good?” Suga caught onto the insinuation, a smile crawling onto his face.</p>
<p>Daichi didn’t even have to turn around to know what Kiyoko’s face looked like. “I resent that! If you’re going to complain about the quality of my meals, then you can make them,” he pointed his potholder at his daughter playfully before opening the oven and pulling out the large pot of stew. “But seriously, Suga, we’d love to have you join us.” </p>
<p>“Please, Suga-san?” Tobio asked, standing at Daichi’s leg and looking over at the teacher.</p>
<p>Daichi watched as his resolve crumbled in the face of Tobio’s plea.</p>
<p>“Alright. As long as I’m not imposing,” he relented.</p>
<p>“Not an imposition at all! Table, please, and don’t forget the extra setting!” He said. The kids set to work getting the table ready while Daichi pulled out the bread from the bread-maker and some rice. “Suga-san, if you would, there’s an extra dining chair by the front door?” </p>
<p>“Of course!” Suga stepped out to get it. </p>
<p>“Daddy, I need another,” Tobio said, staring at the placemats. Daichi opened one of the cupboards above the sink and handed him one from another set. Then he reached over where Chikara was setting down a spoon and set down the big pot of stew. </p>
<p>He thanked the kids as they all started sitting down, Suga adding his chair between Chikara and Kiyoko’s. Daichi grabbed some cups and filled them with water, glass for the adults and plastic for the kids, and finally they all sat as a unit. It wasn’t hard to dig in: the soup smelled pretty good, and it was complimented well by the crispy bread. </p>
<p>“Did you hear the news from Asahi?” Suga mentioned while the kids stuffed their faces.</p>
<p>“What news?” Daichi asked, bread halted halfway to his mouth. </p>
<p>“Apparently, my friend at the school asked him out on a date after that night at the bar,” Suga raised his eyebrows suggestively. </p>
<p>“Noya?” Daichi asked, surprised.</p>
<p>“So you’ve heard of him.”</p>
<p>“I didn’t know he was friends with you. Asahi hasn’t been able to stop talking about him, you know.” </p>
<p>Suga couldn’t hide the mischievous smile that overcame his face. “Looks like we might be seeing each other a lot more, Sawamura-san,” his voice was light and teasing. Daichi chewed his bottom lip, looking down at his food. </p>
<p>“I suppose so, Sensei.”</p>
<p>Daichi’s eyes met Suga’s periodically throughout the meal, catching on them between bouts of Chikara’s babbling or a question Suga asked Kiyoko or Tobio. Daichi had never felt so comfortable, and he wondered if that was what it would feel like to always have Suga there at their table, eating dinner and laughing and talking about their days.</p>
<p>Daichi didn't think he’d mind one bit if it was.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>After Suga had said goodbye and left for the night (but not before helping with cleanup like a gentleman), Daichi turned around to see his kids watching him with a scary amount of interest. He didn’t have to wonder about what was on their minds for long, though.</p>
<p>“Is Suga-sensei going to be our new mommy?” Tobio asked matter-of-factly. It was such a Tobio question that Daichi had to choke back laughter. He was a bit surprised that his kids had picked up on the flirting at dinner, though.</p>
<p>“Why would you think that?” Daichi asked.</p>
<p>“You smile a lot when Suga is here,” Kiyoko said carefully. </p>
<p>“Is he your boyfriend?” Chika asked. Daichi crouched down, realizing that this wasn’t going to be the short conversation he wished it was. </p>
<p>“What’s a boyfriend?” Tobio asked.</p>
<p>“A boyfriend is someone that you go out on dates with. If I liked someone, I would go on a date with them. And if that someone was a boy, then that would be my boyfriend. And no, he’s not,” Daichi said. “If I dated anyone, I would ask you three about it first.”</p>
<p>“Why?” Chika asked.</p>
<p>“Because nothing means more to me than you kids. And I want you to like anyone I dated,” Daichi looked at them all seriously. </p>
<p>“Do you want to go on dates with Suga?” Kiyoko asked.</p>
<p>Daichi felt his cheeks go a little pink. “Maybe. I’m not sure. It’s a little complicated,” he said.</p>
<p>Chikara reached over and patted him on the shoulder, like he did whenever Daichi seemed upset or bashful. His little face was completely serious as he comforted his dad. “If you wanted to go on dates with Suga-sensei, that would be okay.” The other kids nodded in agreement, looking just as earnest.</p>
<p>Daichi swallowed a laugh. “Thanks, Chikara.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Daichi hesitated outside of the front door, breathing deeply. He had just finished what might have been the worst 36-hour shift of his life. The drive home had felt like a dream -- he probably shouldn’t have been driving at all, but he had somehow made it despite his hands aching from his white-knuckled grip on the wheel and the deafening silence of the car. He could faintly hear the sounds of Bokuto, Akaashi, and the kids watching some kind of movie, and the thought made him smile. His kids were safe. They were fine, as long as he could just...open the door. Maybe in a minute. </p>
<p>He had a bad taste in his mouth from the shift, like stale coffee and regret. The station had been so quiet when he had left it, their defeat hanging suspended in the air. It was always a bitter reminder that the good guys didn’t always win. Life just wasn’t fair. Daichi sighed. He knew every day wouldn’t be like this, and he would feel so much better after he slept. But for now he needed to hold the kids, to make sure they were still in his grasp.</p>
<p>He took a few more deep breaths and pushed it open. Immediately, a chorus of, “Daddy!” greeted him, and he fell to his knees, welcoming his kids into his arms. </p>
<p>“Thanks, Bokuto, Akaashi. And thank Kuroo and Asahi when you see them,” he murmured to his friends. They had created a rolling schedule for marathon shifts like he had just finished, because his friends were actually the best. Bokuto shot him finger guns. </p>
<p>“You okay, man?”</p>
<p>“Peachy,” he responded, mouth feeling like cotton.</p>
<p>“I’ll call you later, okay?” Akaashi said gently, and Daichi just hummed and nodded, burying his head in Tobio’s feather-like hair. He heard the couple leave, murmuring their concerns to each other, and when his kids tried to pull away he just held them tighter. </p>
<p>“Another minute,” he pleaded, voice breaking despite his attempts to stop it. </p>
<p>When they finally pulled back, Kiyoko reached for his face, and Daichi realized that she was wiping away tears from his eyes. “You’re sad?” Tobio asked quietly, eyebrows crinkled in concern. </p>
<p>Daichi let out a broken laugh, pulling Tobio into his lap. “I am sad,” he said. “I’m very happy to be here with you, though.” His mood was sinking into his kids, acting like a sedative and making them slouch beside him rather than jump around like usual. “I’m sorry I’m sad.”</p>
<p>“Don’t be sorry,” Chikara said wisely. “You said it’s okay to be sad.”</p>
<p>Daichi smiled gently at his son, smoothing his hair back lovingly. “I did, didn’t I?” Chikara nodded dutifully. “Did you already eat dinner?” He asked. They nodded. “How do you feel about moving this to the couch?” He moved to stand, and they all reflexively moved with him, clingier than normal. Tobio wouldn’t let Daichi put him down, arms clasped around his neck for dear life. </p>
<p>They sat on the couch together, Tobio on his lap and Chikara and Kiyoko pressed into his sides. Kiyoko had turned the volume down on their movie, which was one of the ones they had seen probably upwards of thirty times, as they all cuddled.</p>
<p>“Why are you sad?” Kiyoko asked, just like Dai did when one of them cried.</p>
<p>~</p>
<p>Daichi rolled it around in his head before answering. He figured that it was important to teach them about real life things. “You know how your mom and dad went to another place and can’t visit ever again?” He asked. They all nodded. “Well, that happened to a little girl today.” </p>
<p>Understatement of the year. Daichi would never be able to get the image of her tiny face, still twisted in a scream even after death finally took her from her torture, from his mind. He had tried. For hours upon hours, while he filled out the paperwork, all he could see was her glassy eyes. He was sure it would follow him into his nightmares. “I wasn’t fast enough to save her.” </p>
<p>Also true. Exactly 36 hours ago, Daichi had run into work regarding a missing child. She had last been seen being taken by someone in a black SUV, neither of her parents nor a family member. The odds of finding a child alive in a stranger kidnapping stretched to almost nothing after the first 6 hours, so Daichi knew that time was not on their side. He worked himself ragged, interviewing countless suspects and witnesses and sex offenders in the area, trying to find her. They did a press release, hoping it would buy them more time. </p>
<p>Time. He didn’t get there in time. He was kicking down the door and they were arresting an absolute monster and when he went into the bedroom all he could see was her perfect little light pink dress stained with blood, her eyes glassy and unseeing, her mouth gaping and scared. She had died scared and alone. Six years old. When he had looked into her grey eyes he had seen Kiyoko, begging for her Dai to come and save her. </p>
<p>~</p>
<p>When he broke the news to her parents, he saw his own parents, unable to fight back tears as they heard about the death of their beautiful daughter, with an entire life to live ahead of her. He saw the blank looks in the neighbors’ eyes, the sneer of a man caught in the act, the faces of the crime scene techs as they grimly and respectfully catalogued the scene. The shame was near unbearable where it sat, hot and heavy, behind his eyes.</p>
<p>“You weren’t?” Chika asked, looking up at him.</p>
<p>Daichi swallowed thickly, feeling the familiar prickle in his eyes that he tried to force back down. He didn’t want to cry again, not in front of his kids. “No. Sometimes, bad things happen. And we can’t stop them.”</p>
<p>“Like when Mom and Dad died,” Kiyoko said.</p>
<p>“Yes, like when they died,” Daichi rubbed her back, and she curled more tightly into him.</p>
<p>“What happens when we died?” Tobio asked.</p>
<p>Daichi couldn’t help the weak chuckle that escaped him at the wrong word, despite the heavy topic. “When we die, some people think we go to heaven,” he said. “A place where there’s no pain and everyone is happy.”</p>
<p>Tobio got a small smile on his face. “Is that where Mommy and Daddy are?” </p>
<p>“I hope so, Tobs.” They sat in silence, Daichi feeling like he was drowning, holding onto his kids like they were his only lifeline. “You know you three mean everything to me, right? You are my entire world. I love you so much,” he whispered into their hair.</p>
<p>“We love you too,” Kiyoko said, smoothing his hair like he often did to them. “You should sleep soon,” she commented.</p>
<p>Daichi’s smile was watery as he looked over at her. “When did you get so good at taking care of me?” He asked. “You’re so grown up.”</p>
<p>She just shrugged, continuing to smooth his hair. “Sleep first, talk later,” was all she said. It was so matter-of-fact that Daichi wondered where she picked the phrase up from.</p>
<p>So at Kiyoko’s insistence they all slowly drifted off to sleep. When Daichi woke up a few hours later he carried each child to bed, grateful that he was able to kiss them all on their foreheads and tuck them in tightly, making sure their night lights were on and their closet doors were shut. He knew there was a family out there who didn’t have a daughter to kiss goodnight anymore.</p>
<p>And the thought kept him up for another hour, sobbing into his pillow until he passed out.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>His wedding countdown said one week. 7 days until his friends from high school got married. Suga couldn't say the phone call came at the best time.</p>
<p>“What if he changes his mind?” Yamaguchi was sobbing into the phone, and Suga winced, holding the receiver away from his face. </p>
<p>“Yams, he won’t change his mind,” Suga soothed, quietly glad that his friend had decided to call him instead of stopping by in person. There weren’t enough tissues in the world to mop up the mess that was a crying Yamaguchi. Suga had past experience.</p>
<p>“How do you know!?” Yamaguchi wailed. Suga waited patiently as his friend quieted down enough to hear his response. </p>
<p>“I know because I’ve known the two of you longer than I’ve known my own sister. If Tsukishima didn’t love you, he wouldn’t have let you call him Tsukki for so long.” Suga smiled a little as Yams let out a broken laugh between sobs. “He looks at you with an emotion I can only describe as pure, unbridled love.” </p>
<p>“Really?” Yamaguchi asked quietly. </p>
<p>“Really. You two are going to be so happy together.”</p>
<p>“We haven’t even talked about the big things,” Yams sniffled.</p>
<p>That gave Suga pause. “You, uh, what?”</p>
<p>It sounded like Yamaguchi was blowing his nose. “We haven’t talked about the big ticket stuff. Like kids. Or our jobs, or where we’re going to live, or who would stay home with the kids if we did end up having them, or if we would use a surrogate or adopt, or--”</p>
<p>“Yamaguchi!” Suga said sternly into the phone. The other man abruptly stopped rambling, and Suga could hear the tears coming again. “You really haven’t talked about that kind of stuff?” He asked gently. He was trying his best not to set the other man off again. It sounded like he was a few seconds too late.</p>
<p>“No,” Yams’ voice sounded wrecked. “Whenever I bring it up, Tsukki tells me not to worry about it. And then I don’t, because he always gets that look in his eye that says that he’ll take care of everything and I know he will.”</p>
<p>Suga sighed. “Oh, Yams,” he said. </p>
<p>“I know!!” Yams went back to wailing, and Suga held the phone away again. </p>
<p>“Look, listen to me. I promise you that it will all be okay. You’re allowed to be nervous about something like that. But Tsukki loves you, and I know that you two will be able to figure it out. Have you ever fought for longer than a few hours?” </p>
<p>Yams laughed wetly on the other line. “No,” he admitted. “Tsukki always comes back with flowers before then.” </p>
<p>“Exactly,” Suga sighed in relief, glad that he could use their own relationship against them (for them?). “Tsukishima cannot stand it when you’re mad at him. I know you’ll be able to navigate all the big, scary things that come with marriage. And marriage won’t be much different than now, it will just be real on paper. The love you two have won’t change.” </p>
<p>He could literally hear Yamaguchi’s muscles relaxing. “Oh. Okay. Yeah, we have forever to talk about it.”</p>
<p>“Forever,” Suga echoed reassuringly. “Now I have to arrange the delivery of the cake, but you just pour yourself a glass of wine and chill, okay? Everything’s going to be fine. Are you at your sister’s?” He asked. Tsukishima and Yamaguchi had decided to spend the week before their wedding separately, as was tradition in Yamaguchi’s family. </p>
<p>“Yeah.”</p>
<p>“Well then she’s got that great blueberry moscato. Pour yourself a huge glass, watch a few episodes of your favorite TV show, and then take a bath. I promise, it’s going to be okay.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Yams said again. “Thanks, Suga. I feel a lot better.”</p>
<p>“You have nothing to worry about. Tsukki loves you, and he’s never been more sure about anything more than he’s sure about marrying you.”</p>
<p>After they hung up, Suga fell back onto his couch in relief. He was standing to take his own advice and pour himself the biggest glass of wine he could manage without a hangover when his doorbell rang. He groaned and walked to the door, ready to tell Oikawa off. When he opened it, a much taller figure stood in the doorway.</p>
<p>“I don’t know if Yamaguchi and I should get married.” </p>
<p>The pale-white, terrified face of Tsukishima was looking down at him, and Suga rolled his eyes to the heavens, asking for strength. He opened the door to his apartment wider, stepping aside so his tall friend could join him inside. Tsukki did, looking stiff and more worried than Suga had ever seen him look before. </p>
<p>“Why don’t you think you should get married?” Suga beckoned his frightened friend towards the couch, and they both sat down. Tsukki’s long fingers were twitching on his lap. Suga didn’t think he had ever seen his friend fidget so much. </p>
<p>“I don’t think he loves me,” Tsukishima said hollowly. </p>
<p>And that was the last thing he had expected. “Of course he loves--”</p>
<p>“I mean as more than a friend,” Tsukishima’s eyes were dark and serious behind his spectacles. “We’ve been friends since we were twelve years old, Sugawara. What if...what if I pushed him into a romantic relationship? What if he just wanted to stay friends, but he was too good of a person to push me away? And now he’s staying out of some sort of twisted obligation he feels to me since I defended him for all those years?”</p>
<p>“Tsukishima,” Suga comforted softly, understanding why his friend was so upset.</p>
<p>Tsukishima’s face was frozen in a mask of devastation. Suga hadn’t seen this many emotions on his friend’s face in all the years he had known him. “He tells me everything! We have no secrets. But he’s been pulling away these past few weeks, and I...I don’t think I could stand it if he wasn’t happy,” he said. </p>
<p>“I want to tell you something,” Suga said. “Right before you rang my doorbell, Yamaguchi and I hung up. Do you want to know what we talked about?” He didn’t wait for Tsukishima to look up from his hands. “He was afraid that you didn’t want to marry him because you would change your mind.”</p>
<p>“My mind?” Tsukishima looked confused.</p>
<p>“He thought that since you didn’t talk about kids or careers or anything that you wouldn’t want to be married to him if your opinions were different. He thinks that you might think that the two of you are too different, and that you’ll change your mind.”</p>
<p>Tsukishima looked at Suga as if he were ridiculous, which was a familiar expression. It comforted him. “I could never change my mind about Yamaguchi,” he said simply. “I would give him everything. Anything he wants is his. We talked about this!” Tsukishima stood and started pacing in Suga’s living room, picking his way around the wedding binders. “He asked about kids. He asked about moving into a bigger place. I said sure! Of course!”</p>
<p>“Are those the words you used, Tsukki?” Suga asked gently. </p>
<p>“I--” Suga watched as his friend’s face morphed into realization. “I guess not. I told him not to worry. But doesn’t he understand?” Tsukishima’s face was desperate as he pleaded to Suga. “If he wants kids, all he has to say is how many. If he wants a house, I just need to know where and the number of bedrooms. I would give him anything he asked for,” Tsukki looked devastated as he stood stiffly in the middle of the living room. “Does he not know how much I love him? How I would give everything for him?” </p>
<p>Suga stood and wrapped his tall friend in his arms. “He does. He loves you so much that he called me because he was afraid of losing you.” </p>
<p>Tsukki buried his face in Suga’s neck, his breath hot and damp. “I guess we’re a good pair, huh?” He asked and his hollow laugh was as wet as Yamaguchi’s had been. </p>
<p>“The perfect pair.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Is it obvious that I ship Yams/Tsukki a lot? The end there got a bit emotional, lol (so maybe a lil ooc on Tsukki’s part, but I think knowing Yamaguchi has made him a more emotionally expressive guy). Sorry, I was listening to “Across the Universe” by The Beatles while I wrote that scene. Nothing makes me more of a sap than those guys.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Daichi’s experience and feelings about the death scene of the little girl loosely mirror my own. It’s a unique experience to those of us who have been in a line of work similar to Daichi’s, and I toned down his freakout and inner monologue bc I didn’t want to get into it too deeply. However, the scene is there to help us understand how the kids are as much of a support system for Daichi as he is for them, and I felt that a good way to illustrate it was by giving him a bad day at work. Unfortunately, in his line of work, a bad day can get really, really bad.</p>
<p>This fic is all about how life takes away, but it also gives. I think this chapter is a good reminder of how, even through the awfulness of living, there is always something good to keep us going.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Fun(?) Facts<br/>- Daichi sees a lot of child autopsies. He often has nightmares of his kids on the autopsy table, and whenever he has one he watches them sleep for the rest of the night to assure their safety</p>
<p>- Suga’s family is homophobic. Sad but true for this fic :( It’s why they’re never mentioned (except for his sister, who is mentioned briefly, but has tentatively disowned him at his parents’ insistence)</p>
<p>- Wow sad fun facts today hmm what’s an actual fun one…ooo! This was almost a Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood AU because Roy and Riza are my ultimate hetero OTP and I thought they would be a good parallel to Daichi and Suga. I ultimately chose a kidfic though bc I am an absolute SUCKER for actual dad!Daichi. And if you aren’t familiar with Fullmetal…I’m so jealous. I wish I could watch it for the first time. Go forth and enjoy the world of alchemy, and then come back here to gush about it with me bc none of my friends are as obsessed with it as i am :(</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Next time: a wedding!!!</em>
</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>We’re getting so close to the end!! Ah!!! Anyone else a little sad? (also thanks for all the kind comments, I appreciate you all!)</p><p>As a warning, there aren't any kids in this chapter! But next time we'll have a kid overload, so no worries.</p><p>I also wanted to point out super quickly that one of the readers of this fic shares a birthday with Yamaguchi and Tsukishima's wedding day! So happy birthday/non birthday!! Enjoy the wedding!</p><p> </p><p>As always, un-beta'd!</p><p> </p><p>...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Dai, I need to cash in a huge favor.” </p><p>Daichi did not like the sound of that at all. Iwaizumi never asked for favors. It was why he was Daichi’s favorite friend. </p><p>“Dai? You there?”</p><p>“Just bracing myself.”</p><p>“Ha ha.” By the sarcastic delivery of the words, Iwa didn’t find his humor funny at all. “I need you to find a babysitter and come as my plus one to Tsukishima and Yamaguchi’s wedding.”</p><p>Out of everything that could have come out of Iwa’s mouth, that was the last thing he had expected. “You what?”</p><p>Iwaizumi sighed impatiently. “I need you to be my plus one, Dai. Please?”</p><p>“Did you and Oikawa break up?”</p><p>“What? No!” Okay, well then Daichi was <em>thoroughly</em> confused. </p><p>“Then why do you need me there?”</p><p>“Because Tooru is going to be busy making sure that the wedding is running smoothly and that Suga isn’t blowing a gasket. I need you to keep me company. Please? This is me cashing in my super selfish, I-really-don’t-want-to-be-left-alone-at-the-mercy-of-Tooru’s-scary-friends card.”</p><p>Daichi sighed, cursing his bleeding heart. “Fine. What day?” </p><p>“October 18th.”</p><p>“Jesus! Warn a guy next time?” Daichi exclaimed. One week wasn’t a lot of time to find a babysitter for an entire wedding plus reception. And if Suga's stress level for the past few weeks at kindergarten drop-off and pick-up was anything to go by, this was a fairly large wedding. “Won’t I be intruding? They probably needed a headcount for meals and seats weeks ago.”</p><p>“Tooru already fixed it. Apparently Tsukishima’s aunt won a vacation, so she’ll be on that instead. He shuffled a few seats around and said it was no big deal.” </p><p>Daichi groaned. “So you already knew I’d say yes.”</p><p>He could see Iwa’s guilty face. “I know that you’re an ace friend who wouldn’t let a childhood buddy drown in a sea of the unknown?” </p><p>Damn his<em> bleeding heart.</em> “Fine. Put me down. What’s the dress code?”</p><p>“They went for a more western reception. Might I suggest that dashing light grey suit that you never wear?” </p><p>“As long as you bring a tie to go with it. I only have black.”</p><p>“Leave it to me,” Iwa said. Daichi really hated the tone of his voice. It felt like he was planning something. </p><p>“Am I going to regret this?”</p><p>“Definitely not. My place, Saturday, 2pm. Don’t be late!” </p><p>Daichi glared at his phone, whose display read<em> Call Ended. </em>Iwaizumi was definitely scheming. Maybe Oikawa had rubbed off on him more than Daichi had originally thought.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Daichi was fiddling with the lavender tie Iwa had literally wrestled over his head, feeling self-conscious about the color. He told Iwa as much, who just slapped him on the back while rolling his eyes. “You’re wearing purple at a gay wedding. Do you really think <em>you’re</em> the one people will be staring at?” Maybe he had a point. He was also feeling self-conscious because he knew maybe two people, and he had already said hi to them both before they were swept away.</p><p>The wedding itself had been beautiful. Suga had truly outdone himself. It was in a large botanical garden that was known as a magical wedding venue. Apparently, Yamaguchi and Tsukishima had gone there on a school trip when they were kids, and this was where they had become friends. And then, ten years later, they had gone on their first real date here. Before the actual ceremony, guests were encouraged to walk around and revisit important moments in the couple’s relationship, marked by small temporary plaques explaining the moment that had occured in each spot. It was truly sweet and set the tone for the rest of the ceremony.</p><p>Tsukishima and Yamaguchi obviously loved each other. Standing next to Tsukishima was a fair-haired man who was slightly shorter, but obviously older, and most likely his brother. Next to Yamaguchi was a girl who looked a lot like him, and Suga, who was beaming like it was his own wedding day. Their vows were personal and peppered with inside jokes that many in the audience understood. Daichi laughed along politely. And then they were kissing and grinning and he was being ushered to the reception, which was in a nearby event hall that had beautiful high ceilings and fancy tables set for a nice dinner. </p><p>They all sat and ate what was probably the best steak Daichi had ever had in the history of ever as they listened to the Best Man and Maid of Honor give speeches, heckling their siblings and their new brothers-in-law. Oikawa had pulled off a miracle and set Nishinoya, Takeda, an offbeat man named Ukai, and a kind woman named Michimiya (who apparently taught third grade with Yamaguchi) at the table with him and Iwa, which put him more at ease. He was a bit surprised when he saw Takeda there, but the first grade teacher just waved him off with a chuckle.</p><p>“Oh, I’m merely Ukai-kun’s plus one! He’s the one who coached Tsukishima and Yamaguchi back in their high school days!” </p><p>“You must have had quite an impact on them, Ukai-san,” Daichi said, impressed. Ukai turned pink at the attention and muttered something about taking a smoke break, slinking off without another word. </p><p>Takeda’s eyes were sparkling as he stood up from the table, two champagne glasses in hand. “Don’t let him fool you, he quit smoking two years ago. I should probably make sure he has a glass in his hand for when we do the rest of the toasts.” He glided off silently, leaving Noya snickering in his wake. Apparently, he was quite familiar with their antics. </p><p>“And how are you all enjoying the wedding?” A voice came up behind them, and if he was a more shakeable man, Daichi would have jumped a foot into the air. </p><p>Iwa grinned, looking back at his boyfriend. “It’s absolutely lovely, Tooru,” he pecked Oikawa’s lips. </p><p>“Thank you. Suga did it all,” he chuckled, pulling out Takeda’s seat and sliding into it easily. “Speaking of Suga, he’s having an absolute meltdown and he won’t listen to me anymore. Sawamura-san, could you try to talk some sense into him?” </p><p>Daichi blinked. “I...what?” </p><p>“He’s in the kitchen, right through those doors,” he pointed more towards the middle of the room, where a pair of doors sat on opposite sides of a small hallway. </p><p>Daichi didn’t know when he stood up, but he nodded and licked his lips, making his way blindly towards the kitchen. Subconsciously, he could hear Iwa snickering behind him, but he ignored it. If Suga needed something, he’d be there to help him. He snuck into the kitchen with no problems or resistance and his eyes immediately zeroed in on Suga, who looked like he might explode or spontaneously combust. Something that involved meeting a fiery end. “Suga?” He called out tentatively. Now that dinner was done, there weren’t many people left in the kitchen, just a few catering staff who were washing dirty dishes and cleaning up.</p><p>The other man glanced towards Daichi, a wild look in his eyes, and did a double take. “Daichi?” </p><p>Daichi walked up to him, trying to find the cause of Suga’s distress. “Oikawa-san said you might need some help?” </p><p>Suga’s face was a mixture of anger, frustration, and devastation. “I’ll kill him later. But while you’re here, maybe you can help me?” He stepped aside, and Daichi immediately knew why he looked so distressed.</p><p>On the silver steel table behind him sat the cake. Or...what was supposed to be the cake. It kind of looked like a volcano that had erupted. And then collapsed on itself. And then erupted again. “Well. Uh, shit.” Daichi said intelligently, staring at the mess in front of him.</p><p>“I know,” Suga said miserably, face in his hands. “The baker dropped it. He’s coming back with smaller, more pretty desserts for the rest of the guests, but now I have to try and fix this to some degree to give Tsukki and Yams something to use for the cake-cutting.” </p><p>Daichi hummed, looking at the baked mess in front of him. “Did the baker leave you with extra frosting?” </p><p>“Hmm? Yeah. But I don’t know how that’s going to--”</p><p>“Do me a favor? Go out and take some flowers from some of the tables. Pick the ones with medium-sized stems. Make sure you grab a few of each, and some leaves as well.” </p><p>Suga looked hesitant, but something in Daichi’s tone apparently convinced him to leave to get what Daichi had asked for. Without Suga’s nervous energy, Daichi was able to get closer to the cake and assess the problem more critically. He then took off his jacket, rolled up his sleeves, and washed his hands. Sitting beside the ruined cake was what he assumed was the stand for it and a few extra decorating tools. He began removing the unsalvageable parts of the cake (pretty much the entirety of the left side) and cleaned up the right side, where crumbs had embedded themselves in the frosting to make it look messy and sad. </p><p>By the time Suga returned with the flowers, Daichi had managed to make the pile of cake look less like a volcano and more like a mountain. “Okay, so now we have to move it to the stand so I can fix the decorations. Can you help me find a sturdy piece of cardboard?” They both hunted around before Suga called him over with a triumphant cry, wielding a piece of cardboard that was large enough to transfer the cake. Ever-so-slowly the two of them slid the cardboard under the cake, lifting it and sliding it onto the stand. Daichi didn’t even know he was holding his breath until Suga poked his cheek.</p><p>“You’re turning blue,” he said. Daichi sucked in some air and blushed with embarrassment. </p><p>“Thanks,” he said, trying to will the blush from his cheeks. “Okay, now we need to fix the frosting as much as we can. You any good with a pipet?” He looked over at Suga, who lifted his palms in the air and shook his head. “Okay,” Daichi let out a slow breath, steeling himself. It had been about a decade, but he had a steady hand and a lot of experience. He began with a slab of frosting, taking the plastic spreader from the baker’s materials and smoothing the frosting over the right side of the cake, fixing the messy parts. Then he used the frosting bag to pipet a simple but popular frosting design on the cake, opting for a simple trim around the tier that looked more like a shelf now and adding clean, precise decoration to the sides.</p><p>Then he took some of the flowers that Suga had nabbed and began sticking them strategically into the ruined side of the cake, hiding most of the damage. He snapped off some of the stems that were too long as he decorated, ignoring the clattering of the dishwashers. He didn’t know how much time had passed when he stepped back, nodding once in satisfaction as he looked at the cake. “It isn’t much, but it should be okay for the cake cutting,” he said, eyes still grazing over the cake to see if he missed anything. When he didn’t hear anything from Suga, he looked over at him just to see the silver-haired man gaping at him. “What?” He asked, cheeks reddening at an alarming rate.</p><p>“How…? I. You? You fixed it!” He said, looking back at the cake in awe. </p><p>If possible, Daichi blushed harder. “I worked at a bakery in high school and university,” he said bashfully. “I picked up a few things about decoration.”</p><p>Suddenly, he had an entire armful of Suga, who was clutching him tightly. “I can’t believe you! You’re amazing, thank you so much. You saved the cake,” Suga was saying. Daichi stood there in shock before returning the hug, a small smile making its way onto his face. Suga pulled away, checking his watch.</p><p>“We have to get this out there! Will you help me?” Daichi nodded, taking hold of the stand while Suga grabbed a knife and forks, leading him out of the kitchen. There were more toasts and stories happening when they walked out, casually placing the cake on its table beside the head table before sneaking back to Daichi’s table, sitting in the still-vacant seats of Ukai and Takeda. </p><p>“It looks great, you two,” Oikawa wiggled his eyebrows, but couldn’t fully hide the surprise in his voice.</p><p>“No thanks to you,” Suga grumbled.</p><p>“I sent you Mr. Detective, did I not? Speaking of…” Oikawa looked over Daichi appreciatively. “You look a bit...underdressed, Mr. Detective.” </p><p>Daichi looked down and realized he hadn’t put his jacket back on, and his sleeves were still rolled up. He blushed and immediately began unrolling the cuffs of his shirt, mumbling an apology. </p><p>“Don’t listen to Tooru,” Suga murmured into his ear, so close that Daichi could feel his warm, hot breath. “I think you look quite dashing.” The statement felt out of left field, but it made Daichi blush from the top of his head all the way down to his feet. Suga pulled away. “Look, they’re cutting the cake!” They watched as the couple successfully cut the cake, and Daichi breathed a sigh of relief when it didn’t crumble immediately. Everyone watched as they shared their first bites, being careful as they fed each other.</p><p>The DJ came back over the microphone to announce the first dance, and everyone quieted down so that the grooms could have their moment in peace. Personally, Daichi thought that a natural disaster could have been taking place in the event hall at that exact moment and Yamaguchi and Tsukishima would only have eyes for each other. “They really are a nice couple, aren’t they?” He said softly, watching as they twirled. </p><p>Suga hummed in agreement. “I’ve known them since high school. There was never a doubt in my mind that they wouldn’t end up here.”</p><p>“Oh? How did you three know each other?” Daichi pulled his gaze from the couple to look back at Suga. </p><p>“Well Yams and Tsukki met way back when they were small, but I met them when we all ended up on the same volleyball team in high school. We loved that club,” he said. </p><p>“You played volleyball?” Daichi asked.</p><p>“You don’t have to sound so surprised,” Suga grumbled, swatting at his arm.</p><p>“No! No, I mean, it’s not that! I was just startled because I played volleyball in high school, too. With Iwa and my other friends,” he said, chuckling. </p><p>Suga laughed in surprise. “Oh! What a coincidence.” His eyes fell back on the dancing couple. “High school friends stick with you in a way that no one else does,” he said with obvious fondness in his eyes. “What position did you play?” </p><p>“I was a wing spiker and team captain my third year,” he said bashfully.</p><p>Suga hummed appraisingly, his eyes trailing Daichi’s figure. “I can see it. The way your friends listen to you, the strong, consistent nature of your personality. Wing spiker and<em> team captain,”</em> Suga added mischievously, “suits you well.”</p><p>“What about you? Surely your position was suited to you, as well?” Daichi asked just as playfully. </p><p>“If you must know, I was a setter,” Suga sniffed. A setter. That made perfect sense. His level-headedness, his no-nonsense attitude, his ability to talk down even the most ramped-up spiker. Suga was the perfect setter.</p><p>“I wish I had you sending me sets in high school,” Daichi found himself saying, grinning when Suga spluttered and flushed.</p><p>“Hey, what do you have against Akaashi?” Iwaizumi teased from a few seats away, and Daichi stuck his tongue out in retaliation.</p><p>“I wasn’t talking to you!”</p><p>“You’re spending too much time around your kids, I think they’re more well-mannered than you are!” Iwa shot back, a grin on his face. “Might want to stick that back in, looks like we have some special guests,” he added on quickly, eyes drawn to something behind Daichi. He turned to see Tsukishima and Yamaguchi approaching their table, hands clasped together and smiles on their faces. Well, Yamaguchi had a smile on his face. Tsukishima’s was more of a smirk, as if he was smug that he had managed to bag himself a husband like Yamaguchi. </p><p>“Sawamura-san! We hear you’re the one to thank for our lovely cake,” Yamaguchi breezed towards him, hand still clasped by Tsukishima’s but the taller man still hanging back. “And I can’t thank you enough. I think you saved us from a true scorch on our perfect day.”</p><p>Daichi felt his face redden. He put his hands up in diversion. “Oh, no! I’m sure Suga would have handled it. I’m just glad I could be of assistance.”</p><p>Tsukishima reached forward with his long arm and held out his hand. “Thank you,” he said simply. Daichi clasped it, realizing that he had never heard the other man speak before. His voice was warmer than he had imagined. </p><p>“Congratulations on your marriage,” Daichi responded dumbly, not really one to take compliments well.</p><p>“Thank you. We hope you enjoy the rest of the reception! Suga-san did an amazing job making sure everything was perfect,” Yamaguchi grinned at the silver-haired man. “Tsukki!” He suddenly exclaimed, turning to his husband. “I love this song, come dance with me!” </p><p>And just like that they were waltzing their way onto the dance floor. </p><p>“Looks like fun! Iwa-chan?” Oikawa jumped up from his seat, holding a hand out to Iwaizumi. </p><p>“I told you to stop calling me that in public,” Iwa grumbled under his breath, but he took Oikawa’s hand all the same and followed him to the floor. </p><p>"Oh, Iwa-chan!! You <em>do</em> know how to have fun!" Oikawa's voice carried from the dance floor.</p><p>Suga startled Daichi when he abruptly stood, holding his hand out to the other man. “Care to dance, Daichi-san? I quite enjoy this song as well.” Daichi stared at the proffered hand a bit too long before gripping it tightly, allowing himself to be swept up by the beautiful storm that was Suga. When he opened his eyes they were on the dance floor, Suga wiggling his hips to an upbeat tune and Daichi bopping his head and moving his feet in jerky motions. He was probably the worst dancer in the world, but being around Suga was more intoxicating than any alcohol. He didn’t care how ridiculous he looked, as long as Suga kept laughing like that. </p><p>The music changed to something slower, more mellow, and Daichi wondered if the moment could get any more cliche. But, true to the banality of the situation, he stopped his jerky movements and offered his hand to Suga, who took it agreeably. Daichi kept one hand holding onto Suga’s and placed the other one on his lower back, taking a few steps into the other man. As they swayed, he could feel Suga’s body heat -- enhanced from the exertion of dancing -- bleeding through his thin button-up shirt. </p><p>When he finally had the courage to look into Suga’s eyes, the other man was already staring at him. His eyes settled on the pretty little beauty mark under Suga’s eye, and he resisted the urge to brush his thumb over it to make Suga’s eyelashes flutter. </p><p>“What are you thinking?” Suga asked quietly, moving a few centimeters closer. </p><p>Daichi wet his lips. “I think...that I’m really happy right now.”</p><p>Suga’s smile was soft and beautiful and completely for him. “Me too,” he said, placing his head on Daichi’s chest. Daichi wondered if the teacher knew that his abnormally fast heart rate was all his fault. Judging by the small, amused exhale, he did. Daichi wasn’t much taller than the other man, but he was able to rest his head against Suga’s. He noticed Iwa and Oikawa sweeping their way around the dance floor, and he pointedly ignored Iwa’s raised eyebrows. He truly couldn't find it in himself to care about what his friend thought.</p><p>Suga pulled away slightly after a minute. “I have to do some things for the wedding. Before I go…” he trailed off a little, looking nervous.</p><p>“Yes, Sensei?” Daichi asked, still holding onto him as tightly as he could. </p><p>“Can I kiss you, Daichi?” The teacher’s eyes were wide and trusting, telling Daichi that he would give him whatever Daichi was willing to take.</p><p>“Yes,” Daichi whispered, and Suga tilted his face upwards so that he could press his cool lips against Daichi’s. It was a chaste but wet kiss, and it made Daichi want to hold Suga tighter and steal another one immediately afterwards. Instead, he let go, and Suga floated away and through one of the staff doors like a dandelion seed in the wind. Daichi was left alone on the dance floor, his lips tingling and his arms cold.</p><p>He had a feeling he might need to revisit the whole “boyfriends” thing with the kids. He also had a feeling that they wouldn’t mind.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Ahh! Feelings!!<br/>Straight to the fun facts today to make up for my super long end note last time!!</p><p>- The wedding cake fiasco is loosely based on personal experience! Back when i worked for a high-end catering company, i was able to use my decorating skills from a previous job (i baked and decorated gourmet cookie cakes all through high school, ha) a few times to help out once the patisserie chefs went home! Good times. </p><p>- The Tsukishima/Yamaguchi pairing is featured in this fic bc if i hadn’t decided to write a daisuga fic i almost certainly would have written a tsukkiyama fic lol. A pairing i never thought i would like and quickly fell in love with after getting into this fandom</p><p>- I literally cannot help myself when it comes to ukatake so they also have a cute lil cameo. My first 2 Haikyuu fics were ukatake ones (this fandom needs SO MANY MORE don’t you think??) so that was kind of an homage to that.</p><p> </p><p><em>Next time: Our last chapter! Important conversations and acceptance.</em><br/>Thanks for your support!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Stay tuned for the epilogue! You guys are the best.</p><p>I had such a hard time writing this chapter?? I rewrote it four times. FOUR. Probably because I don’t want this fic to be over. Alas, it has reached its natural end and I refuse to drag it out in fear of it getting too stale. I wanted to tell a story about family, and I think I’ve done that.</p><p>This chapter is a tiny bit more PG-13, but honestly not enough to actually worry about. I almost didn’t say anything but decided to anyway bc I like making super duper long author's notes.</p><p>Also as a side note for those of you who are not familiar with sign language - it doesn’t work like spoken word. There will be some sign language in this chapter, and I’ll indicate it in italics. Just know that the way it is written is not exactly how it’s being communicated - just the gist of their conversation.</p><p>Again, un-beta’d!</p><p> </p><p>..</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Daichi went to pick the kids up, only Suga and the three kids were out at the playground, waiting for him. Suga was sitting in his normal spot on a bench a few yards away from the rubber mulch boundary and the kids were running around entertaining themselves. </p><p>“Hey,” Daichi said, taking a seat gently beside the teacher.</p><p>“Hi,” Suga said back, cheeks pink. Daichi knew it wasn’t just from the cool air. Suga tugged at his hat nervously. They hadn’t seen each other since a few nights before at the wedding, when Suga had disappeared through the employee door and left Daichi alone to ponder their kiss. His lips tingled just thinking about it. </p><p>“Nice day,” Daichi said, humming and looking at the sky. It really was nice for late October, a slight breeze but a sunny sky to make up for it. A few wispy clouds graced the sky. “You look beautiful,” he blurted, unable to tear his eyes away from Suga and his neatly crossed ankles. </p><p>The man immediately blushed, ducking his head. Daichi reveled in the warm feeling of triumph he got from watching Suga flush. “You can’t just say things like that,” the other man said, sounding out of breath.</p><p>“And why not?” Daichi teased. </p><p>Suga blinked at him, eyelashes fluttering. “Sawamura Daichi. I never took you for such a shameless flirt.”</p><p>“I’m usually not,” Daichi admitted, his own cheeks dusted pink. “But I really didn’t want you to think I was uninterested.” </p><p>Suga’s lips quirked up. “I think you made that clear the other night.”</p><p>Daichi grinned. “You say that as if you weren’t the one to initiate it.” </p><p>Suga shrugged, biting his lip to hide his grin. It didn’t work. “I guess you have a point there.” They both watched the kids as they huddled on top of the slide, seemingly discussing the different ways to slide down it as if it were an extreme sport, their hands waving in the air and fingers fluttering quickly.</p><p>“They’ve been signing since school let out,” Suga remarked. </p><p>“That’s because we made a deal that they wouldn’t do it at school. Don’t want the other kids feeling too left out. Caused some problems for Chika at his old school,” Daichi said. “We practice sign language Mondays at our place,” he explained.</p><p>“Sign language Mondays?” Suga looked intrigued.</p><p>Daichi chuckled. “When the kids first came to live with me, I only knew a few things about sign language. So for the first few months while I was trying to learn, we implemented mandatory sign language Mondays, where we could only sign to each other. No verbal communication allowed. It helped me learn. Of course, I didn’t master sign language in a few months, but it simulated what would happen if Chika didn’t have his hearing aids in. They’ve sort of become a tradition now.”</p><p>“I think it’s so wonderful that your sister and her husband taught all of the kids sign language,” Suga said.</p><p>Daichi nodded. “I know he wouldn’t say anything, but Chikara gets lonely sometimes because he doesn’t know many kids like him. It helps that he always has his brother and sister to converse with. The community can be isolating sometimes for kids like him.” Daichi watched his kids for another moment before turning to Suga. “I wanted to ask--”</p><p>“Yo!!!” A voice snapped their attention back to the kids, who were waving at them. Tobio started a wobbly sprint to greet his dad, a small half-smile on his face.</p><p><em>“How was your day at school?” </em> Daichi signed to his youngest, tilting his head and crouching down to get on his level. </p><p><em>“Good. Shouyou,” </em>for the name, he signed it letter-by-letter, then repeated the kanji, <em>“taught me about Pokemon.” </em> Tobio didn’t exactly look thrilled by this development, and Daichi figured it was because Pokemon took Shouyou’s attention away from him. </p><p><em>“Dad!!” </em> Chikara signed, eyebrows raised and smile wide to indicate his excitement. <em>“You’ll never guess what Suga-san taught us today!”</em></p><p><em>“What?” </em> Daichi tilted his head. </p><p>
  <em>“Your eyeballs never grow! When you’re a baby, that’s the size of your eyes forever!” </em>
</p><p>Daichi laughed, looking over to Suga. “Is that true, Suga-sensei? Do eyeballs never grow?”</p><p>“Very true, Daichi-san. Your eyeballs haven’t changed a bit since the day you were born,” Suga grinned. </p><p><em>“Suga-sensei’s so cool! He knows lots of facts,” </em> Chika signed excitedly.</p><p>“Hey, will you three go out to the car? I’ll be there in a moment.” Daichi spoke the words out loud as he signed his message for Suga’s sake. </p><p><em>“Race ya!” </em> Kiyoko signed quickly before taking off, her brothers giggling after her. </p><p>“It’s marvelous to watch,” Suga said, eyes bright. “I only ever learned English as another language, and that was because I had to for the curriculum. I’m quite impressed.” </p><p>Daichi ducked his head, chuckling. “It’s nice that Chika always has that option. He’ll never be helpless without his aids.” He scratched the back of his neck, suddenly nervous. “So, uh, can I ask you a question?” He echoed Suga’s words from the wedding.</p><p>“Of course.”</p><p>“Since we established that we’re both interested, might you agree to a date with me?” He was steadfastly looking at the playground, aware that his face was burning.</p><p>“Daichi-san, you’re very forward.”</p><p>Daichi looked up in surprise, only to see a teasing smile on Suga’s face. He grinned back. “Can’t afford not to be. Life sure is short, Suga-sensei.”</p><p>Suga chewed his lip. “You have a point there.” He chewed a bit more, his gaze focused on Daichi’s mouth for a second too long before returning to his eyes. “I would like to go on a date with you very much, Daichi.” </p><p>Daichi couldn’t stop the face-splitting smile that overcame him. “Friday? Iwaizumi owes me a favor so he can watch the kids. I’ll text you the details.”</p><p>Suga nodded, his own grin stretching his face. “I’ll see you then.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Dating Daichi was kind of like being a teenager again. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Do you like candy? I wasn’t sure, so I brought some anyway, and it’s a variety pack so you can pick out the things you don’t like. I know some people don’t like chocolates but others don’t like hard candy. Oh my god do you have allergies? I didn’t even think--”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“They’re perfect, Dai. I have such a sweet tooth.” Daichi blushed, but Suga wasn’t sure if it was from the use of “Dai” or his wide smile.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>They would sneak kisses before and after class by the bathrooms whenever they thought no one was looking, Daichi would bring flowers to their dates with a face as red as a tomato, and they would misstep and fumble over their words during their brief and sparse dates. It was kind of exciting, and Suga was head over heels. </p><p>Being with Daichi was fun. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Flip it,” Daichi nodded towards the coin. “It’ll tell us where we’re going.” Suga flipped it with a flick of his thumb, catching it in his palm and showing Daichi the outcome. “Heads means right!” He grabbed Suga’s elbow and dragged him energetically to the next streetlight, where they turned right on the sidewalk.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Looks like we’ll eat here,” Daichi looked up, and Suga burst into giggles at the glowing sign of the furniture store. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Yum,” Suga got out.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Daichi didn’t look discouraged, though, he merely grinned. “I guess we could flip it one more time.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You this time,” Suga handed Daichi the coin, and Daichi flipped it, landing on heads again. This time, Suga led them to the next turn. “I think this’ll work,” Suga remarked, staring into the windows of one of his favorite ramen places in town. Daichi was silent, so Suga looked over to see why he was quiet. He met Daichi’s eyes. The other man had a satisfied smirk on his face. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Suga gasped and hit Daichi’s shoulder with his gloved hand. “You planned this!” He said. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Daichi had the gall to look affronted. “I have no clue what you’re talking about,” he said, avoiding eye contact. “We flipped a coin!” But the grin creeping onto his face told another story. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Jerk. You knew I love this place!” </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Then am I really the jerk here?” Daichi smirked, and Suga bumped his shoulder against his.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You’re buying tonight to make up for it,” Suga laughed, pulling Daichi into the restaurant.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>They would dance awfully in crowded bars, flip coins into wishing fountains, duck behind cars whenever they saw a cop that Daichi knew (“The last thing I need is Ushijima giving me shit about you, <em>again”)</em>. They would make out in Daichi’s car after a good date and go their separate ways with numb, red lips. Suga tried to find every way to unravel the detective, teasing him by undoing every other button on his shirt or carding his fingers through the other man’s hair, murmuring in his ear all the while. </p><p>Being loved by Daichi was exhilarating. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“You’re beautiful,” Daichi whispered into his neck, rubbing his cold nose up and down its length as he pressed gentle kisses to Suga’s sensitive skin.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Daichi,” he moaned, running his fingers through the other man’s soft hair in the way he knew he liked it. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Say it again,” Daichi murmured, his breath warm.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Daichi,” Suga whispered it like a prayer. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“At this rate, we won’t make it to dinner,” Daichi panted, moving his lips to Suga’s jawbone. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“You promise?” Suga laughed lightly and rubbed his hard-on against Daichi’s thigh over the center console of his car. “Will you say my name?” Suga asked breathlessly. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Daichi made a trail of kisses starting at his collarbone and slowly making its way up his neck again. Suga shivered when Daichi’s lips paused right behind his ear. “Koushi,” he whispered it as if it was his most-treasured secret, as if no one else in the world existed except the two of them. Suga cried out as he came in his pants, desperate to kiss Daichi’s teasing lips. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I worship you,” Daichi breathed into his hair. “I would build a temple to your beauty.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Suga felt himself becoming hard again, which he thought otherwise would be impossible. “How about you tell me all about this temple after I’ve returned the favor,” Suga grinned, sticking his hand down Daichi’s pants. The other man’s needy groan was answer enough.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Daichi would hold him close before their dates, whispering all the things he liked about him. He would run the pads of his fingers over Suga’s skin, respecting boundaries but also letting Suga know that he was worth being worshiped. Daichi would say all the things Suga wished he could hear from his own family: how he was a good person, how his day improved infinitely whenever he caught sight of the teacher, how much he cherished their time together. </p><p>Falling for Daichi was easy. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Suga had never felt so safe in another person’s arms. With Daichi holding him in the park, long after midnight, he felt like they could conquer anything.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>The man had a rooting strength about him, a calming presence that soothed everyone who was around him. Even when they went to the bar to bother Bokuto and Kuroo, Daichi would be able to calm his friends with one eyebrow raise. Suga had even seen the detective stop a bar fight by physically placing himself between the would-be brawlers, speaking in low, soothing tones until they both relaxed and bought more drinks. And damn, was he good with his kids. Daichi might have been the definition of <em>help-I-have-no-clue-what-I’m-doing,</em> but everything he did was in the best interests of his three children. Daichi didn’t love anyone more than he loved his kids. </p><p>Being the fourth most important person in Daichi’s life? That was surprisingly okay. Suga had plenty of relationships where him and his partner had nothing to focus on except each other. And while it sounded bad, frankly, he got bored. It felt like they always played the same flirty game that always ended in screaming and unbalanced affections and too much wine on a Sunday night. But with Daichi, things were straightforward. Kiyoko, Chikara, and Tobio came first. Always. End of discussion. That kind of directness was appreciated. </p><p>Suga had no problem stepping aside when the kids needed their dad. They cut plenty of dates short because Tobio had an inconsolable nightmare, or because Chikara had misplaced his hearing aids, or Kiyoko hated their babysitter and refused to eat. Daichi had cancelled on him more times than he could count because of the kids’ ever-shifting schedules. It was honestly relieving to know exactly what Daichi was thinking regarding their relationship: it was long-term as long as the kids came first. And Suga could do that. Except he knew that one day, their entire relationship would be put on display for the kids to either accept or reject. And Suga wasn’t sure what he would do if they picked the latter option.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Daichi looked at his kids with wide, open eyes from where they sat on the couch. “I want to talk to you three about something very important, okay?” They nodded, eyes just as wide and serious, no impatience or anger to be found. Daichi’s heart swelled with love for them. “First, I want you to know that no matter what, nothing means more to me than you three. Nothing. You understand? I love you three so much, and I’m so proud and happy to be your Dai,” he said. “But I also want to let you know that recently, I’ve been seeing someone. I’ve been going on dates. Do you remember what that means?” </p><p>“It means you like someone?” Kiyoko asked.</p><p>“Exactly. I like someone very much, so I’ve been seeing them a lot.”</p><p>“Who?” Chika asked.</p><p>“Suga-sensei,” he said simply. “Suga and I like each other.”</p><p>“Like boyfriends?” Tobio asked quietly. </p><p>Daichi nodded in confirmation. “Like boyfriends. But even though Suga and I like each other, it’s important that you three tell me how you feel. I want to know all of your questions, I want to know if you’re mad, or happy, or confused.”</p><p>“Will you still love us, if you love Suga-sensei?” Chika asked seriously, no heavy emotion or anger in the question, just curiosity. </p><p>“Of course. I will never love anyone more than I love Chikara, Kiyoko, and Tobio,” he said, kissing their hands after he said each of their names. “And remember what I always say? Love is a cup that can never be filled. Even if I love Suga-san, I will always, always love you.”</p><p>“Will Suga love us like you do?” Kiyoko asked.</p><p>“Oh honey. He already does,” Daichi squeezed her arm gently. </p><p>“Is Suga our new mommy?” Tobio asked again, like he had many weeks ago, and Daichi laughed. “No, honey. Suga is Suga. And he doesn’t have to be anything more than that.” He waited for more questions before continuing. “Suga and I want to make sure that you guys are okay if we keep dating. And if you are, Suga wants to spend more time with you. We can all go to the movies or to the botanical gardens to spend more time together. Is that something you might want to do?”</p><p>“I like Suga-sensei,” Chikara said. “I think I want to see him.” Kiyoko nodded in agreement.</p><p>“I like it when you smile, Daddy,” Tobio murmured, smiling shyly. Daichi pulled them all into a hug. </p><p>“You let me know if you have any more questions, okay? You can always ask me or Suga-sensei anything you want. We’ll always tell you the truth. Understand?” He asked seriously. They all nodded. “Good. And when you’re ready, Suga-sensei can come over and you can ask him about any questions you have for him.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Suga clutched onto his cell phone, where the text from Daichi was still pulled up on the screen. He stared at their front door for too many minutes, heart racing. So many things could go wrong. But so many things could also go right. And Suga had never been the person who was scared away from doing things because of all of the things that might go sour. Though that didn't stop him from hoping with all of his heart that today went well. </p><p>He took one last look at the text --<em> They’re ready to see you now. </em>-- and shoved his phone into his pocket. Then he lifted his fist and knocked.</p><p>“Suga-sensei!” Chika gasped as he opened the door to see his favorite teacher. “You’re here!”</p><p>Suga chuckled, pulling the boy in for a hug. “Your dad invited me.”</p><p>“Daaaaaad!” Chikara yelled, turning and running further into the house. “Suga-sensei is here!”</p><p>“Did you invite him inside?” Came the deep reply, its tone indicating that the owner knew that Suga was still standing awkwardly in the doorway.</p><p>Chikara stopped abruptly and turned back to his teacher. “Come in, Sensei!” Suga grinned and stepped into the house, pulling the door closed behind him before too much of a chill could enter the house. He took off his shoes and ventured further into the house, aware that Chikara had disappeared. </p><p>“Suga-sensei?” A small voice came from the right, where the bedrooms were, and Suga turned to see Tobio standing with a tiny smile on his face. It made him look elated. </p><p>“Hey Tobio! How are you?” Suga asked carefully. Tobio just shrugged his slight shoulders, blushing and looking down at the floor. Suga saw shyness often in kids who had overwhelmingly outgoing siblings. He figured that Chikara’s outgoing nature stemmed from his older sister’s quietness: he became her voice in situations where she couldn’t speak up, and he naturally took over the role for Tobio as well, allowing the small boy to be as shy as he wished. He found the difference between Chikara and Tobio refreshing, especially in the classroom setting. </p><p>Suga heard footsteps behind them and turned around to see Daichi with his hand in Chikara’s, looking incredibly handsome in jeans and a plain white t-shirt. Suga’s heart involuntarily skipped a beat when he saw that Daichi’s warm eyes were trained on his own. They didn’t linger, though, finding Tobio’s with no effort. “Hey Tobs, will you come into the living room? We’re going to have another family meeting.”</p><p>Tobio nodded jerkily and ran off to the living room. Daichi looked back at Suga and gestured that they should follow, a smile on his face. Ever since the wedding, Daichi and Suga had reached a sort of understanding on two major points. One: they were both definitely interested, and two: the kids would always come first. They had been on quite a few dates since the wedding, grabbing a quick coffee on the weekends or meeting up after work when the kids were with one of Daichi’s friends. And each time, Suga knew that their time together would be limited if they didn’t have the approval of the kids. It was obvious that nothing meant more to Daichi, and their quickly blooming romance could easily be cut short if Suga didn’t meet the criteria set by the three children.</p><p>Daichi had said that he wasn’t worried, and that the kids had even given him permission to date Suga. But once they had established that they had feelings for one another, they quickly realized that they might not just stop at dating. Suga was positive that this sweet, stoic, strong man was the only person in the world that could make him feel like he did. </p><p>And then, after their most recent date, Daichi had broken the news: he wanted to tell the kids about their relationship. Now Suga wasn’t dumb. He knew that the reason him and Daichi hadn’t moved further into their relationship (Daichi refused to go into his apartment whenever he invited the other man up, and Suga shied away from Daichi’s overly heated glances) was because of the kids. They feared getting too deep into the relationship only to have it all taken away if the kids didn’t approve. If the kids didn’t want him in their lives, he was sure he might die of a broken heart. He was in this for the long haul, and Daichi had said as much too on their second date. So yeah, the stakes couldn’t be higher for Suga.</p><p>He followed Daichi into the living room, where Kiyoko was already sitting and watching a television program and Tobio was standing, waiting to see where everyone else sat before picking a spot. Daichi gestured that the other two kids should sit on the couch with Kiyoko, and once they were all settled, he crouched down in front of them, turning the TV down before turning to the three kids. </p><p>“Remember how we had that conversation last week about me and Suga?” Daichi asked patiently. The kids nodded.</p><p>“You’re boyfriends,” Tobio said seriously. </p><p>Daichi nodded. “Yes, we are. And since you three said it was okay, I invited Suga over so that you could ask him questions. He’ll answer any questions you have and then he has to go. Is that okay?” The kids nodded again. Daichi shot a look at Suga, who took it as his cue to join his boyfriend (and boy, did that term seem too mild) on the ground, sitting cross-legged like he made the kindergarteners do in class. </p><p>Chikara wasted no time. “Do you love Dad?” </p><p>Suga nodded firmly. Although they hadn’t quite gotten around to saying it, Suga had never quite felt the instant and deep connection that he did with Daichi. “I care about you dad very much.”</p><p>“Do you love him?” Kiyoko asked, picking up on his avoidance of the word.</p><p>Suga caught Daichi’s eye but didn’t linger, returning his gaze to Kiyoko to let her know that she had his full attention. “Yes, I love him.”</p><p>“Are you still Suga-sensei?” Tobio asked, as if they had practiced their order. </p><p>“Yes, Tobio-chan, I am still your sensei. But I won’t be much longer.”</p><p>“Do we call you Suga-sensei?” Chikara wondered.</p><p>“Well, when we’re at school I’d prefer it if you called me that. But when we’re outside of school, you can call me whatever you’re comfortable with.” Suga looked at the kids.</p><p>“Can you be our sensei and Daddy’s boyfriend?” Tobio asked, brow furrowed in extreme concentration. Daichi and him had talked about waiting until the boys had finished kindergarten and left his class before telling the children about their relationship to avoid confusion, but ultimately had decided that they were moving way too fast to wait much longer. </p><p>“Yes, I can be. I won’t be your sensei much longer, as Nishinoya-sensei agreed to let you into his class after the holiday break, but until then I am both your sensei and your Dad’s boyfriend.”</p><p>“Is Nishinoya-sensei nice?” Chikara wanted to know. </p><p>“Yachi had him and said he was very nice,” Kiyoko piped up. </p><p>Suga smiled warmly at her. “I would have to agree. I like Nishinoya-sensei very much, and I know that he’ll love having you and Tobio-kun in his class, Chikara.” Chikara nodded, satisfied with that answer. </p><p>“Will you hold us if we’re scared?”</p><p>By the time they had finished asking their questions, Suga was pretty sure that they didn’t quite have a grasp on what exactly Suga was doing in their lives and what it meant now that he was dating their dad. But they seemed to understand enough to know that he wasn’t going anywhere.</p><p>“Before I go, I just want you all to know that Daichi will always be your dad. Nothing can change that. The four of you are a family. And I’m...a new addition to that family. I’m here to play with you and hold you and love you. Things might be confusing, and that’s okay. You just ask one of us whenever you feel confused, okay?” Suga said, Daichi’s hand grasped firmly in his. “I’m here for you now, and I always will be.” </p><p>He wasn’t expecting the handful of Chikara that he suddenly found himself with, the little boy launching himself at his teacher. Tobio wasn’t much of a hugger, but he slid off the couch slowly and placed his hand on Suga’s knee. Kiyoko simply sat where she was, eyes assessing the situation, but she looked fairly pleased with the apparent outcome. </p><p>“I like having you here, Sensei,” Chikara said, arms wrapped around Suga’s neck. Suga looked at the makeshift family surrounding him. They had known so much pain and hate and suffering, and they still welcomed him with open arms. Chikara, literally; but Daichi had a soft, open look on his face; Tobio wasn’t pulling away even though he had been making contact for thirty seconds; and Kiyoko was humming her approval. It made him feel proud, to be accepted by them.</p><p>“And I like being here, Chikara,” he murmured into the boy’s feather-soft hair. “I hope I can be here a long time.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Quick reminder that an epilogue is coming!! The epilogue is important, as it wraps everything up and was my favorite to write. It's short and concise and the true end to this story.</p><p>Fun Facts:<br/>- The part of this chapter at the park didn’t exist until yesterday! You guys were being so nice about Chapter 9 that this chapter felt inadequate, so I added the extra scene out of guilt lol.</p><p>- Sign Language Mondays is based on something my friends and I used to have in middle school - Sign Language Fridays! Back when we were trying to get good at ASL, we would forbid each other from speaking verbally at our lunch table to help us improve our sign language skills! It was kinda fun, even if we got odd stares from other tables.</p><p>- Daichi is super self-conscious about his sign language because he only knew emergency signs before Chikara came to live with him, and he had to learn the rest of the language as quickly as possible.</p><p>- Despite this, Daichi does his best to take Chikara to events happening in the local Deaf community so that Chikara can connect with those who have a similar experience.</p><p>- But like seriously, if this fic took place earlier in time (a year or so earlier) I think I would’ve had Suga be a member of the Deaf community who takes pity on Daichi and helps him understand the community more. But then I’d give less time to the other kids and that didn’t seem too fair</p><p> </p><p>  <em>Next time: The actual end. Thanks for sticking with me guys!</em></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Epilogue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Short(er) epilogue because I think everything else has already been said. Thanks for sticking with me, I hope this fic has brought you just a fraction of the joy it has brought to me. </p><p>Let’s get this bread!! (un-beta’d, as per usual. Goin’ out strong, amirite?)</p><p> </p><p>..</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Eight years later </em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Happy birthday to you!!!” Everyone finished the song, popping their party poppers and cheering as Daichi blew out the candles on his cake.</p><p>“You’re getting old,” Suga whispered into his partner’s ear, earning an eye roll and a gentle head butt from said partner. But it was true. Eight years had passed since they had started dating, five since Suga officially moved in, and three since the kids had started acknowledging him as a full part of their lives instead of just their father’s. Daichi’s dark hair was littered with specks of grey, the crinkles on the side of his face by his eyes were deeper and more abundant, and when he stood he let out a little groan from an old gunshot injury he suffered during their first few years together. </p><p>Suga himself wasn’t as spry as he used to be. Eight years wasn’t a lot in the long run, but three kids and a detective by his side meant that he could feel every one of them. His knees creaked and his stamina lowered, but the laugh lines in his face were more defined than they had ever been. He and Daichi had been through countless volleyball games, talent shows, and family dinners. They had helped Yamaguchi and Tsukishima through their adoption, pushed Kuroo to finally ask out his childhood best friend and lifelong crush, had been there to help Noya ask Asahi to marry him, and had reached out to Bokuto and Akaashi countless times for double dates and advice.</p><p>The years had been kind but swift, the kids growing taller and their fathers growing slower. Suga was still astounded at the rapid pace by which the Sawamura family welcomed him, their door always open and embraces always warm. His own family had never extended that same courtesy, and it surprised him that the little family of four could open their hearts to more love even after what they had been through. But open their hearts they did. Suga couldn’t imagine waking another morning outside of Daichi’s arms and bed, couldn’t bear to think of a night when he and Kiyoko didn’t fight over the remote, or Chika didn’t approach him with a light in his eyes and a new book for them to read, or Tobio didn’t need him to sit with him at the table while he bemoaned his homework. </p><p>Suga cut the cake, handing out pieces to everyone in attendance -- his and Daichi’s friends and their three kids. Kiyoko was six days shy of thirteen, almost a real teenager. She was sassy and smart and fought with Daichi to no end over what she could wear, how late she could go out, and what age was the right age for makeup. Suga had had to take their girl out shopping for training bras because she and Dai had gotten into a rather brutal verbal spat about the time she spent locked away in her room right beforehand. The house had been divided for weeks.</p><p>But when he looked at Kiyoko, Suga could only think of strength. She was like Daichi in that way, a grounding presence to her brothers. She was the only girl in their house, and she sure as hell needed strength and patience to get through Daichi's explanation of female puberty. Suga would never be able to scrub the image of Daichi practicing his recital of the parts of the vagina to him in a post-coital haze. Fastest. Boner killer. Ever.</p><p>Chika was growing into a mini Daichi. He was calm and collected but friendly as ever, picking up stray students left and right until his friend group included pretty much the whole sixth grade. His smile was like Daichi’s, soft and sincere, and he still had a penchant for hugs whenever the need struck him. He had taken to playing volleyball much like his dad did, partial to the position of wing spiker. Daichi insisted that Chikara’s choice of position was just a coincidence, but Suga knew that the 12-year-old looked up to Daichi as both a father and a volleyball player, wanting nothing more than to look up in the stands and see the familiar glimmer of pride whenever he made a good receive. </p><p>Tobio had also stuck with volleyball, and at eleven he was already commanding the court. He had been kicked out of a few clubs because of his ability to scare other kids his age with his intensity, but Suga lived to see the small smile that made its way onto Tobio’s face whenever a spiker made a kill off of his set. He was moody for someone not going through puberty yet, and both Suga and Daichi dreaded what he might be like in a few years, but for the moment they were able to enjoy the way he blushed whenever Shouyou grabbed onto his hand or demanded another toss. </p><p>“Can we do presents?” Chikara popped up between the two adults, a speck of chocolate cake smeared on his face. Suga wiped at it with his thumb, making Chika scrunch his nose and back away.</p><p>“Not yet. Your dad hasn’t even eaten a piece of his own birthday cake!” Suga scolded. </p><p>“Eh, I’m sure we’ll have enough cake left for after presents,” Daichi said, a glimmer of amusement in his eye as he stood from his chair, grinning at Chikara. Chikara whooped in excitement, rushing towards the living room. Suga just rolled his eyes. Daichi was the parent who gave the kids whatever they wanted within reason, Suga was the one who brought them back down to Earth. </p><p>“Dad said we could do presents!” He yelled. Slowly but surely, everyone made their way to the living room, where they had set up a lot more chairs than normal. The couch could hold three (Kuroo, Asahi, and Noya), the recliner held one (Iwaizumi with Oikawa perched on his lap, a shit-eating grin on his face as he munched cake), and the dining chairs were scattered around the room for the rest of their guests (Bokuto, Akaashi, Yamaguchi, and Tsukishima). </p><p>The kids nestled onto the floor in front of the dining room chair Suga had set up for Daichi. Even though the man hated being the center of attention, Suga figured the detective could forgive him this once. By the look Daichi shot him when Suga gestured towards his seat, it would take a lot of sexual favors for the forgiveness to fully take effect. Suga just grinned and shrugged, ignoring Daichi when he stuck his tongue out. Everyone pressed gifts into Daichi’s hands, watching him pull some new pens from a bag or unwrap an old framed volleyball photo. Daichi laughed and teared up and punched his friends appropriately as they teased him. And once he had finished thanking Suga for the juicer (seriously, only Sawamura Daichi would ask for a juicer for his birthday), Suga grabbed his camera from the TV stand and flipped it on.</p><p>“Daichi, the kids have prepared something special for you,” he said. Daichi shot a half-annoyed, half-amused look at Suga’s camera, but smiled good-naturedly as he turned towards his kids. They were standing in a short row, facing Daichi and holding little pieces of paper. Clutched in Kiyoko’s other hand was a manilla envelope. </p><p>She stepped forward. “Dai,” Kiyoko read, back straight and eyes flickering between her dad and the paper. “You may not have been the one who brought me into the world, but you’re the one who’s led me through it. Sometimes I know you don’t like me just as much as I don’t like you, so sometimes I forget to slow down and tell you about the things that matter to me. It matters that you’ve always supported me. You’re the one who taught me how to ride a bike, who showed me my mom’s favorite recipe, and who held me when I cried. It matters that even when you’ve had a bad day, you’re always there to comfort me. It matters that you give me advice and a home. What doesn’t matter is that you’re not our real dad.</p><p>“We’ve lost so much, and you never undermine that. You remind us every day that our parents are with us. You were the one to teach us that love is a cup that can never fill or overflow, and you taught us not just by saying it, but by showing it. You love us so unconditionally, and when I think you couldn’t love us any more you prove me wrong.”</p><p>Chikara already had unshed tears in his eyes when he started speaking. Suga was impressed that his voice barely shook. “I’ve always been proud to tell people that you’re my dad. My dad, the detective. My dad, the superhero. My dad, Sawamura Daichi. I’ve only ever called you Dad because you stepped in when you didn’t have to and gave us love in a time when we needed it most. And then you kept giving it. You taught me how to stand tall. You always tell us that we mean everything to you. Well Dad, same goes for you. When our parents died, you became our world. You became our beacon. And most importantly, you became our dad.”</p><p>“I don’t remember much of my parents, but you remind me of their love every day with your actions,” Tobio choked out. “You taught me how to play volleyball. And how to love fully. And you showed me what a dad does. And he’s always there for his kids, no matter what,” Tobio had tears running down his cheeks. “He holds them close and doesn’t say mean things to them when they’re mean to him. He tries to understand. He says he’s sorry and means it.”</p><p>“It takes a lot to step up and take someone else’s place. You were there when no one else was, even though you weren’t our parent. And we’re sorry to ask even more of you, but we didn’t want to go another day without asking,” Kiyoko stepped forward and gave Daichi a yellow manilla envelope. He already had tears streaming down his smiling face as he took it, gripping her hand briefly before she pulled away again. </p><p>“I love you,” he whispered. She whispered it back.</p><p>He opened it carefully, pulling out the small stack of papers in the envelope. He immediately pressed a hand over his mouth, choking on a sob. Then he seemed to remember where he was and took a deep, shuddering breath, wiping at his eyes hurriedly with the back of his hand and sniffling. </p><p>“What is it, Dai?” Kuroo asked, voice light.</p><p>Daichi looked back at the papers and another sob escaped his lips as he wiped more tears. It didn’t seem like he could manage words yet, and Suga watched with adoration as Daichi stuck out his thumb, pointer, and pinkie fingers on his right hand, pressing his thumb to his chest and flinging his hand out towards his kids, repeating the sign over and over. <em>I love you. I love you. I love you.</em> His eyes were shining when he finally managed some words. “Well come here,” he sobbed, setting the papers to the side and opening his arms. Kiyoko, Chikara, and Tobio rushed into them, and Daichi hugged them tightly to his chest.</p><p>“I..can’t...breathe, Dad,” Tobio choked, but Daichi only tightened his grip, sobbing into Chikara’s neck. Then he let them go, wiping at his eyes and smoothing their hair. </p><p>“Are you happy, Dad?” Chikara asked. </p><p>Daichi sniffed, rubbing at his eyes again. “I’ve wanted this for so long,” he glanced down at the papers again. “I’m so, so happy, Chika.” </p><p>“Daddy, will you adopt us?” Tobio asked, his face shadowed.</p><p>Daichi reached forward and grabbed his youngest son, holding him to his chest. “I want nothing more than to adopt you three, Tobs,” he whispered into his hair. </p><p>Suga could swear there wasn’t a dry eye in the entire room. From Asahi, who everyone expected waterworks from, to Iwaizumi, who usually only had two emotions, everyone was wiping at their eyes. Suga held the camera as steady as he could despite the quiet sobs wracking his own body as he watched his little family unite. </p><p>“I love you all so much,” Daichi murmured, wrangling the other two into his embrace. “I’ll always be here for you. And you three will always be my kids.” </p><p>Once they broke apart, Daichi reached down and picked up the papers from where he had discarded them on the floor. “How did you arrange all of this?” He sniffed, wiping his face again to get a good look at the documents. </p><p>“Suga helped us,” Kiyoko’s response was muffled in Daichi’s shoulder where she had planted herself.</p><p>Daichi’s eyes found Suga’s, and Suga didn’t even realize that Bokuto was beside him taking the camera away until he advanced on his family, welcoming a hug from Chika. Suga wasn’t sure how, but Daichi’s hand found his among the other two kids scrambling to hug Suga. He felt his partner’s gratitude in the resulting hand squeeze.</p><p>“It was all their idea,” Suga said. “They just needed a little help orchestrating it.” Daichi pressed a wet kiss onto the back of his hand. But it was true - the kids had brought it up to him, and all he had done was talk them through their speeches, giving them little suggestions on wording or helping them articulate their feelings.</p><p>“Will you show us what you got?” Bokuto asked, holding the camera towards the family. </p><p>Daichi flipped the papers around, sobbing again. “A petition to adopt,” he managed to get out before he was engulfed in hugs again. </p><p>“Dad, you’re getting snot on my shirt,” Tobio said, trying to pull away. Daichi loosened his grip.</p><p>“Sorry kid,” he sniffed, and gratefully took a tissue offered by Kuroo. “I’m just so happy,” he said wetly as he looked down at the papers on his lap. “We can be a real family,” he said serenely, eyes brimming with new tears.</p><p>“Because of you, we already were,” Chikara said softly before going in for a hug once again. </p><p>Daichi laughed wetly, and when Suga looked at his family, he was filled to the brim with gratitude and love. Chikara was right. They had all been united here because of the will of one man and his unfillable heart. Whether Daichi knew what he had done or not, it was completely true: they had always been a real family.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Well, shit. And that’s all she wrote, folks. Just wanted to throw out a HUGE thank you to everyone who has been reading this as it’s been posted. It has been an absolute ride and I finished this so quickly and easily because of your support! </p><p>{I watch waaaaaaaayyyy too many adoption compilation videos on YouTube. Does it show?}</p><p>I’m currently writing a Daisuga Fullmetal Alchemist AU, so be on the lookout if you’re interested in reading other things from me! I’m also working on an Ennotana fic for those who like them. Along with that, I currently have 2 Ukatake fics published if that’s your thing.</p><p>Thanks again for the support, I appreciate you all so much more than you know! I'm going to miss seeing your beautiful usernames in the comments! xx</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Please leave some love in the form of a kudos or comment if you enjoyed! It helps me a lot, and I respond to every comment! Also, come visit me on <a href="https://lessons-from-moths.tumblr.com/">tumblr</a>! I mostly cry about Tanaka Ryuunosuke and complain but I'd love to take a break from both of those things to interact with you all!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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